


Sidon's Epic Pining Adventure

by ObakeAri



Series: Courage to Love [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Dating, Feels, Figuring Things Out, Fluff, Light Angst, Link is honestly kind of clueless, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romantic Fluff, Sidon also plays babysitter, Sidon doesn't know the difference between Zora courting and Hylian courting, Sidon is helplessly in love with Link, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, also Sidon's pining is intense on a million different fronts, and this kid definitely has Sidon wrapped around her tiny fins, attempted courting, but he fails to realize it, he also fails to have good coping mechanisms, in other words, okay he's really clueless, someone please help this fish, this hits me right in the feels, until he's not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2018-10-24 21:25:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 151,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10750116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObakeAri/pseuds/ObakeAri
Summary: Prince Sidon sucked in a breath; of all the trials he had ever faced, this was by far the hardest for him. "It all started...it started with grief, and then a little girl.""Your little girl?"The prince bit his lip. It was hard enough admitting that he had fallen in love, but as unsuitable he was... "Yes. My little girl. And he helped me care for her and then...oh, Goddess above I looked away for a moment and then he stole my heart but I don't even want it back."





	1. Mipha's Gone

**Author's Note:**

> Oops, this first chapter's got angst in it. 
> 
> Sorry. It's gonna have some heavy parts because Sidon has a lot of internal self doubt to sort through....and Link may or may not have some survivor's guilt. We'll see. 
> 
> However, aside from that you can expect this entire fic to be as fucking ridiculous as the title sounds. Like honestly. This is like...on Omega Rho Rho levels of stupid for those of you who followed my opm fics once upon a time when I actually wrote for that fandom (maybe someday I will return to them...).
> 
> Okay maybe it's a little more serious than Omega Rho Rho but I'm still having a lot of fun planning these shenanigans out so don't you worry!

Prince Sidon was everything that his people hoped he would be. He was kind, he was smart, he was intuitive, he could be level headed in even the most stressful situations. But most importantly, he remained positive in even the darkest of times. 

However, what Sidon and every other Zora called positivity, King Dorephan worried was foolishness. Sidon was never one to disrespect his father, but he couldn’t deny that he didn’t completely brush off his father’s concerns either. For rooted deep within his positivity was a naive hope that the role he was filling was only temporary. No matter how many meetings he sat in with his father, no matter how many military advances he helped lead, no matter how many coronation rehearsals he sat through  _ just in case something happened to the king _ , Prince Sidon never once thought in the last hundred years that his seat on the throne was anything more than temporary at the most. 

Because really, that throne, that crown belonged to his sister more than anyone. 

It was true that most Zora held out even the smallest sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe Calamity Ganon spared their beloved princess - Sidon’s beloved sister - of the cold grasp of death and were merely holding her prisoner. The return of the champion Link and news that Zelda was suffering a similar fate had given them that much hope. Sidon gratefully charged forward to deal with Vah Ruta at Link’s side, so blind in his certainty that stopping the divine beast would finally bring Mipha home that he never once stopped to prepare himself for the alternative option. 

But then Link returned victorious, yet his sister was not at the Hylian’s side. 

No matter, Sidon had thought to himself, the Divine Beast Vah Ruta was positioned at the highest point in the Zora Domain, ready to attack Ganon at the best moment. Certainly Mipha was busy fulfilling her role as a champion and would return shortly after Ganon’s demise. 

And yet, days after rumors had flooded through the domain that Ganon was gone once and for all, Princess Zelda - in all the glory Sidon’s childhood memory remembered her by as well - proudly came through the halls of the palace on her horse, with Link at her side. His dear friend, companion, comrade. How Sidon had missed the Hylian and his strong, calming demeanor.

And yet, Mipha was nowhere to be seen. 

Zelda had requested a private audience with King Dorephan, so Sidon dutifully left the three to their discussions, ensuring that the princess and her knight had only the best sleeping arrangements during their stay. 

“My Prince,” Muzu’s voice rang loud and clear as Sidon turned around to face his elder. “Your father is requesting you.”

Sidon was never one to delay his father for too long and entered the throne room as quickly as he could, eagerly awaiting whatever news King Dorephan had to offer.

He just...never expected the news to be so final. 

“Sidon, my son, please come here,” his father’s voice was gentle, and suddenly Sidon was whisked away to his childhood at a time when the world was so dark that not only was his sister missing but his mother had lost her life in her own grief as well. 

“What is it, Father?” Sidon asked, taking a knee.

“No, Sidon, please, come to me my son,” King Dorephan said again, and Sidon hesitantly walked up to him, placing his hand in his father’s much larger one. “There is something I have to tell you.”

Sidon looked up at his father, knowing that look well. And though he felt he was prepared enough to hear the news that he could recognize the look on his face, he wasn’t ready to hear the words with his own ears: “Sidon...I am so sorry to tell you this but...your sister is not coming back.”

Sidon felt his eyes widen. Though he had let his father grieve and never said it out loud, Sidon also had never doubted - not even for a moment - that his sister would return. And to hear this…

“Father, what exactly do you mean by this?” Sidon asked, feeling his voice falter. 

“Sidon,” King Dorephan’s eyes were riddled with the beginning of tears as he enveloped his son’s hand with his own. “I just spoke with Zelda...Mipha...I’m afraid that our worst fears had come true after all…”

“So...she’s dead,” Sidon’s voice was low. He ducked his head down, thankful that his large brow hid the sting in his eyes. “That is what you are telling me?”

“I am told that she did not suffer for long,” his father’s voice was quickly betraying him as he choked, “I know you have always held hope for her return. I am so sorry Sidon, so so sorry.”

Sidon felt his lip quiver, and in his own disgust at his weakness he pulled his hand away from his father and spat, “I am not a child anymore father, I knew what the chances of her survival were.”

“Sidon-”

“Thank you for telling me,” Sidon said before he swiftly turned and bid a goodnight to the king. In hindsight, he knew he needed to be there for his father in his grief, but in that moment, Sidon didn’t have the strength that he needed. 

Really, in his hope that Mipha would return, Prince Sidon had never given himself the chance to grieve on his own. 

The Zora Prince hadn’t realized that he had broken out into a sprint until his short made-for-swimming legs tripped over the stairs and he tumbled downwards into the courtyard. Had such a clumsy display happened in the middle of the day for all Zora - and all the children - to see, he would have made a fool of himself and laughed it off. Perhaps even turned it into a lesson for the school children about watching out for one’s own clumsiness on land. But now, it was the evening. Most everyone was in their own personal quarters with their families and Sidon was all alone with nothing but his thoughts and the statue of Mipha - the one memory of her remaining - to accompany him. 

Sidon could only remember faltering once, and that had been when Link had been left to face the inside of Vah Ruta alone and Sidon realized just how helpless he really was as the heir to the throne. 

A throne he did not deserve. 

A throne that belonged to his sister, and his sister alone. 

A throne that she could not take because the opportunity had been robbed from her. 

Sidon sat up on his knees, staring into the lifeless eyes of Mipha’s statue. If he closed his own, he could picture the warmth in her gaze as she smiled down at him, healing his wounds while she chided him for his recklessness and hating that the little Hylian boy she had become friends with only encouraged her brother to get himself into the most dangerous of predicaments. 

That Hylian boy had become a man, and so had Sidon. And yet…

Prince Sidon felt a sob catch in his throat, and as he ducked his head back down, he coughed, shedding tears for his sister for the first time in a hundred years. 

She was dead. 

He’d never get to see her again, see her smile again, he wouldn’t get to walk her down the isle of her wedding with their father on the other side of her. He’d never get to kneel behind her, knighted as she received the Zora crown. 

He’d never get to hold her in his arms again, never get to brag about how much taller he had grown than her again.

He’d never get to tell her how much he loved her. 

All he could do was cry. 

The moon was high in the sky when Sidon’s cries for his sister finally calmed down to whimpers. He sat cross-legged in front of the fountain where Mipha’s statue rested, staring out at the rest of his domain. In his grief, a pit of anxiety had also begun to form in his stomach. 

He needed to take his training more seriously from now on. 

He would actually be the king one day, no matter how much he didn’t deserve it. 

“Are you waiting for someone?” a small voice called out. It was so small, barely audible, like the whisper of a frightened child. Yet it still caused Sidon to jump out of his own thoughts and look down as he stared into the eyes of a little girl. 

“Pardon?” Sidon asked, noting that her bright gaze and sky blue scales looked rather familiar. 

The little girl took a small step towards Sidon, seeming rather timid around him as most of the children did. (Honestly, it didn’t really matter how silly he acted around them, he could never seem to break the ice with the little ones. Was it his height? His large brow? The fact that he was a prince? What was he doing so wrong?) Taking a deep breath, the girl looked up and said, “I’m waiting for my parents. Laflat and the other grown ups said they won’t come back though, that something bad happened to them.”

At that, Sidon recalled where he remembered this girl. She was the living proof of his greatest failure to date. It didn’t matter how often his father, Muzu, and the other elders tried to insist that there was no way Sidon could have known what would have happened, the prince still blamed himself. 

The child was named Minami, and her parents were two of the most loyal members of the royal guard that Sidon had ever met. When Vah Ruta’s downpour had become a serious threat, Sidon had made the order to send them out with Seggin to try to take the beast down. It had been there that Seggin had fired a shock arrow which came to become vital in Link’s ability to stop the beast, but it had also been there that, in their attempt to thwart the beast, Vah Ruta gave off a violent discharge of electricity, killing Minami’s parents in an instant. Seggin had only been spared thanks to his distance from Vah Ruta and training, but his return was most somber, and though he insisted on being the one to break the news to Minami that her parents would never return, Sidon never once lifted the blame off himself.

It had been his order. 

“Stop the beast, no matter what the cost.”

And they fulfilled their duty, they paid the ultimate price.

And now...now Minami would never see her family again. She had been so young, she hardly even remembered them now.

But Sidon wouldn’t forget, he couldn’t. 

He didn’t deserve to take Mipha’s place as king.

He couldn’t even look at the child whose parents he took from her square in the eye and tell her what happened, it had been two years and he barely even recognized her.

What kind of prince was he?

What kind of little brother was he?

“Prince?” the child said quietly. “Why are you crying?”

Sidon touched a claw to his cheek and realized that there were indeed tears streaming down his face. 

“I suppose…” Sidon started, heaving with such force that he felt the flesh lining his gills press against his arm while he tried to find the words, “I suppose I’m waiting for someone too.”

At that, Minami took several, much more confident steps towards the prince and she pressed her small hands against his leg, “Who?”

Feeling his throat closing, Sidon glanced up at the statue and whimpered, “My sister.”

At that, Minami glanced down, her tiny little claws scraping against Sidon’s leg as she balled her fists together.

Silence. 

Sidon couldn’t bare to meet the child’s gaze, and yet he felt a tiny little Zora girl clamber up onto his lap and sit down facing him, bright golden eyes staring up to meet his own. 

“Prince?” the girl said, trying to get Sidon’s attention. Sidon stared down at Minami in confusion, but with utmost certainty, she said, “I know my parents probably won’t come back. But that doesn’t mean I should give up hope that something good won’t come out of it.”

Sidon stared down at the little girl in wonder and wiped one of his eyes, “Where on earth did you find such wisdom, dear one?”

Minami could only answer with a fit of giggles as she darted her eyes bashfully away, “Kodah once told me that good things still come out of bad things. So...I guess something good will happen even if my parents and Princess Mipha can’t come back...because they’re always watching over us right? That’s at least what Kapson said once.”

Sidon didn’t bother fighting back a smile as Minami reached her tiny hands to wipe the tear stains off his face and he lifted the child into his arms. “Yes, that is very right, Minami. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Minami giggled, settling into Sidon’s forearm. She suddenly appeared very puzzled. “But...um...could I ask you something?”

“Anything, Little One,” Sidon nodded, finally regaining his composure. 

“Could you call me Nami?” she asked, staring up at Sidon with the biggest eyes and the brightest blush. “It’s what my mommy used to call me...but no one else does anymore. I miss it.”

“Nami,” Sidon said again, “A special nickname?”

Nami nodded her head. 

“Very well, Nami it is then,” Sidon smiled at the child, holding her close. “But dear me, isn’t it late for you to be awake? You must be in bed with your care taker, shouldn’t you?”

“I can’t sleep,” Minami shrugged, tucking her head into the crook of Sidon’s elbow. “I always come out here when I can’t sleep.”

“Is that so?” Sidon asked, staring out to the entrance of the domain. A childhood memory flashed through his eyes as suddenly Mipha walked up the stairs, trident in hand and a beautiful smile on her face as Sidon awaited excitedly in this very spot for her. 

“Yeah,” Minami said, “Sometimes, if I’m feeling lonely, I can sit out here next to Princess Mipha and pretend that my parents will come home. Sometimes I wonder if they might actually come back and it feels less lonely.”

Sidon’s heart sank at that. This courtyard had become a gathering place to wait for loved ones over many generations, he could imagine how easily it could be to fall into the trap of waiting, hoping, just by standing here in the darkness of one’s own thoughts. 

Had he not fallen for the same trap as well?

Sidon held Nami a little closer as he said, “Well, perhaps on those lonely nights we can wait out here together.”

Nami perked up, “You really mean that?”

“Of course,” Sidon said, “I can’t rest knowing that one of my little ones is restless and feeling alone. What kind of prince would I be if I allowed this to continue?”

Sidon fought glancing down at the little girl, but he could feel her wondrous gaze looking up at him. Instead, Sidon pulled the child close, hugging her tightly as the two sat in silence until she fell asleep in his arms. Sidon could remember many nights when he fell asleep in Mipha’s lap. It didn’t take long for him to grow so tall that she couldn’t hold him the way he held Nami, and her small frame had never dwarfed his form the way his did the child, but he could still recall how safe he felt being in his sister’s arms. How  _ warm _ he felt. He had been so lucky to feel the warmth of his sister's and his mother's embrace. 

Staring down at Nami, Sidon wondered if she could still remember her own parents’ warmth. The whole community looked after her, as was customary for all orphans. Such a community effort resulted in a low rate of parentless children to begin with, so little Nami found herself being the odd one out in many occasions. At the end of a school day, she was always the last one in the courtyard waiting for someone to take her in for the evening. She didn’t have her own home to go to, her own parents to kiss her goodnight. The pain of knowing that such a fate was at least partially his fault kept Sidon away more often than not, and yet…

In his moment of darkness this little girl came to his aid. 

The sound of Nami’s soft snores stirred Sidon enough to rise to his feet and return the child to her current caretaker. If he remembered correctly, it had been Tempa who had taken her home this afternoon, so Sidon carried the sleeping child, resting her against his shoulder to the Zora woman’s home. 

He felt guilty for waking her from her sleep, but the look of shock on her face when she saw Nami curled up against the prince’s chest startled her to full alertness. 

“Oh my goodness! I am so sorry, my prince! I didn’t even know that she left!” Tempa apologized quietly, not sure whether to take the child out of his arms or welcome him inside.

“Oh, it’s quite alright, miss,” Sidon grinned. “I found her in the courtyard missing her parents. It was the least I could do to stay with her and bring her back.”

At that, Tempa’s look softened and she stared at the girl with pity, “It’s such a shame, what happened. I don’t really remember a child being left orphaned for as long as she has either.”

Sidon bit back the sting that he felt at that. He knew she meant no malice by her words (most Zora didn’t even know that it had been Sidon’s orders that led to their demise, they all just saw it as an unfortunate circumstance), but he still couldn’t bite back the pain he felt. 

“But my prince, you are too kind for caring for her and bringing her back,” Tempa said quickly and earnestly, catching the somber look in his gaze. 

“Oh, you are too kind,” Sidon forced a smile, “Shall I put her to bed for you?”

Tempa led Sidon to her guest room and he carried Nami to the small sleeping pool that all Zora rested in during the evenings. They were still pools of water that were filled gently and carefully with special minerals that helped optimize healing. The mostly still waters and occasional gentle current was the optimal atmosphere for any Zora to float in and drift to sleep. Sidon lowered Nami into the pool carefully, only stirring her slightly as she heaved a sigh, settling into a deeper sleep as she entered the water. Sidon bid Tempa a good evening and tried not to show his discomfort at the countless praise she offered him. 

He didn’t deserve it. 

Feeling bodily exhaustion take over the the thoughts that racked his brain, Sidon trudged up the stairs and figured he needed to at least try to sleep. 

A soft, gruff voice stopped Sidon in his tracks, however, when he passed the hotel. 

“H-hey.”

Sidon turned, finding the Hylian champion leaning against a wall, his expression stern as ever. He had always known that Link was a man of very few words; he had only ever heard the Hylian say very short phrases and Mipha’s name on occasion to grab her, or someone else’s attention. Mipha had taught Sidon from a young age that he had been mute for most of his life, only able to pick up simple speech patterns in later childhood. The language barrier that Link was caught behind thanks to his muteness, he more than made up for in his fluency of sign language. He had taught Mipha how to sign and Mipha had taught Sidon. Having always felt drawn to the Hylian boy, Sidon picked up sign language rather quickly and studied it as a hobby even after the Great Calamity. Even when his princely duties got in the way of studying language, Sidon had been pleased to realize that he was still fluent in sign when Link returned to the domain. Link had also expressed his utmost gratefulness that Sidon was bilingual on multiple occasions, and it had been very exciting for both of them that they could communicate with such ease. 

“Link! What are you doing up so late?” Sidon asked. 

Link pushed himself off the wall and took a few steps towards Sidon, his eyebrows knit with worry as he signed, “I don’t usually sleep much. What about you? You seem upset.”

“I…” Sidon felt the words fall off his tongue just as he tried to speak. By no means did he blame Link for what happened to Mipha. But how could he put his grief into words? “I just have a lot to think about is all.”

Link had very expressive, very vibrant blue eyes, yet Sidon could just see the light in those eyes dim as he glanced down and signed, “I’m sorry.”

The gesture startled Sidon; seeing Link so wrought with sadness in his gaze made his heart sink. “Link, whatever do you mean by that? You saved all of Hyrule. You should be proud of what you have done.”

“But,” Link spat aloud, looking almost angry. Yet he couldn’t finish his sentence with words, instead, he signed, “I couldn’t save your sister.”

Sidon glanced down at the ground.

“Do you miss her?” he dared to ask. 

The tearful look Link gave Sidon didn’t need an explanation. Even with gaps in his memories still, Sidon could see how Mipha’s death had pained the little Hylian just as much.

“I didn’t,” Link started, his hands trembling as he searched for the word, “I never realized that she...I should have stopped her…”

“Link,” Sidon placed a hand on Link’s shoulder, trying to ignore the fact that the words that left his mouth were words that he himself had swatted away with each attempt from his father or Muzu to console him, “You needn’t blame yourself for what happened. She knew the risks of being a champion and she made her choice to fight. It was not your fault.”

Sidon heard a small sniffle from Link who glanced up, giving the prince a sad but smug expression nevertheless, “Why do I feel like that you need to be told the same thing?”

“Probably,” Sidon sighed, feeling his tail drooping behind him, “Because I do.”

“What happened?”

“There is a little girl,” Sidon explained, “Her parents lost their lives following an order I gave them. It was a freak accident that I could not have foreseen, I know but…”

Sidon felt a hand touch his forearm and he looked down to see Link giving him a consoling look as he signed, “It’s okay.”

For some reason  _ that _ had to be the phrase that broke the prince all over again.

He was a proud Zora prince. He was an adult, a warrior, the future king. 

And yet, even still, at the grief of his sister’s loss and the reminder that his mistakes had cost a serious casualty had Sidon taking a knee and crying like a helpless child. Crazier yet, when Sidon felt Link wrap his slender arms around him in a consoling hug, he heard the sniffle of Link’s own grief and guilt. 

They had played together as children. 

They fought together as comrades. 

And now...well, at least Sidon had the comfort in knowing that they could cry together as dear friends. 


	2. Babysitter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon can't quite place where everything went wrong, but he knows when it all started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brace yourself, cuteness is about to ensue.
> 
> Also I definitely thought I was going to get further along in this chapter, but then it got so long I had to split it into two. 
> 
> (I just really really love Sidon with children. A lot. So much. Oh Em Gee.)

Sidon stared down at the hot pan in awe, watching as Link’s arms flexed, expertly tossing the food cooking in it with ease. Above him, Sidon heard Minami shriek with excitement, her overly long tail smacking against Sidon’s cheek as it wagged. 

It had suddenly dawned on the prince - as he sat there beside the Hylian who was teaching him how to cook as a little Zora girl made the decision to climb up and balance herself on the top of his large head - that he was in a heap of trouble. 

He couldn’t quite place where it all started necessarily...well. Okay, that was a complete lie, he could place exactly where everything started going downhill.

 

* * *

 

It started shortly after the night that his worst fears were confirmed. He and Link chatted frequently during the remainder of his stay but within a week, he and Princess Zelda were off once again and Sidon hardly noticed the painful twinge in his chest as he watched the Hylian leave. Was it there? Yes. But he simply wrote that off as the result of bidding a close friend goodbye.

The real trouble, however, began a month later when the evening bell rang from the tower as the children and younger hatchlings fled to the courtyard. Many children splashed each other in the fountain, some were playing a ball game (and Sidon felt a little bad that his wave towards Minami distracted her just enough to get smacked in the side of the had with the firm ball, but she recovered quickly), others were sitting quietly waiting for their parents to pick them up. It was a typical scene, one filled with joy that brought Sidon back to his childhood memories on occasion, however the prince couldn’t help but notice a flurry of young zora women looking awfully panicked. Feeling particularly nosy but trying to play it off as little more than a prince concerned for his people, he approached the group.

“Everything alright?”

“Oh, Prince Sidon!” the women all gasped, half distressed and half fawning over him slightly. 

“There’s no need to worry, My Prince,” one younger woman feigned a smile, glancing nervously behind her towards the courtyard where the children were filtering out, leaving Nami by herself with the ball she had been playing with. The child was looking around, confused. 

“Shouldn’t that child have been picked up by now?” Sidon asked, more out of concern than judgement, yet he still earned a nervous jump from all the women beside him. 

Some chattered endlessly, two broke out into a full on argument, it was finally Laflat who sighed and admitted, “It was Kodah’s and Kayden’s turn to watch Minami this week but they left for their honeymoon early to beat the storms.”

“I watched her last week it’s someone else’s turn,” Tempa huffed ferociously. That sparked a surprising amount of venom from the other Zora present. Sidon watched them for a moment, horridly confused. He knew that it was a lot to ask the community to help rear a child but…

“Is Minami that much of a burden?” He found himself asking.

“Oh! Not at all, My Prince!” another Zora, Midra laughed nervously. “It’s just...well this is just an unexpected turn and...well...you know how much of a...handful that shark-based zora can be as children!”

Sidon knew that Midra didn’t mean any offense by her statement (or maybe she did but he knew it wasn’t directed specifically at him) but still he couldn’t keep himself from baring his teeth slightly in frustration as he asked defensively, “Now just what do you mean by that?”

_ “Midra _ !” Tempa hissed beside her. “That’s not how you speak to our prince!” 

“Oh!” Midra covered her mouth with wide eyes. “I-I’m so sorry, My Prince! I didn’t mean it like  _ that _ ! I mean, you’re nothing like--”

“Nothing like what?” Sidon placed his hands on his hips, trying not to snarl at the woman. It had been so long since such mocking statements were spoken around him that he had almost forgotten about the slightly prejudiced whispers amongst his own people. 

The whispers were never meant to have been harmful, there was no doubt about that and Sidon knew. However there was certainly a few key differences between shark-based and mammalian-based Zora. The differences were small, but they still existed as remnants of a time when their species nearly split into two. Some stories suggested that they had originally been separate species that eventually came together when they settled in the Zora Domain, but it had been so long ago that it had been pushed aside as little more than lore. Shark-based Zora had been the more common breed for generations, and most had grown into proud soldiers and knights that served a mammalian-based royal family. 

But then Sidon’s father met his mother, the fierce daughter that came from generations of warriors. He was too young to remember, but his father often told Sidon of a time before when the Late Queen had been harshly criticized for her demeanor. She was too abrasive, too ferocious, too hot headed, too strong willed to be an effective queen. She wasn’t as gentle as her mammalian-based husband and in-laws. It wasn’t like the people saw anything wrong with being a shark-based Zora, they just didn’t see the throne as the place for the breed. The whispers, however, were quick to die down once she and Dorephan were coronated and Mipha was born, and Sidon’s mother earned the love and praises of all her people. 

But when Sidon was born, though he knew he had his people’s love, it had taken him quite some time to earn their respect. He was squirly, reckless, stubborn, all things that were to be expected by shark-based children, but certainly unbecoming behavior of a prince. Things only became worse after the Great Calamity: something about the waters changed for the rate of shark-based Zora that were born and survived past infancy dropped at an alarming rate, and many adults fell gravely ill after returning from a swim. Hundreds of hatchlings grew sick and met their end much too soon, until only mammalian-based hatchlings were being born and the only shark-based Zora left were Sidon’s age or much much older. 

Despite how respected Sidon and the elder soldiers were, however, the stigma against his breed had only increased. It had been a shock when Minami was born with her long, long tail and razor sharp teeth, and while there was great rejoicing over her birth and health, it still seemed to Sidon that being the only shark-based child and the only orphan was not a good combination for the poor girl. 

“Hm,” Sidon crossed his arms in deep thought. The woman had been chatting nervously, apologizing profusely when Sidon finally waved them off with a patient smile, “Oh no, it’s quite alright, everyone. I know what you were trying to say and I take no offense.”

The Zora surrounding him had all sighed in relief, but sucked another breath in when the prince suddenly offered, “Well, you all are doing your best to look after Minami, but since Kodah and Kayden are not here, why don’t I take her this week?”

“Oh no! No! My Prince you don’t need to!”

“No, really, I insist,” Sidon said, trying to step around the growing mob to get to Nami. Laflat was the one who put her hand up and stopped him, giving a stern look.

“Do you even know the first thing about rearing a child?” she asked indignantly. As his family’s secretary, a teacher, and close advisor, Sidon was never one to ignore her wisdom, yet in this moment he was feeling particularly stubborn. 

“Oh, it’s quite alright,” Sidon grinned. “She’s a self-sufficient girl, she just needs someone to look after her for the week is all!”

“My Prince,” Laflat’s face twitched slightly as she said, “I don’t mean to be rude but I really strongly advise against doing this-”

Sidon didn’t mean to completely blow Laflat off but the sight of little Nami sitting herself by the fountain with watery looking eyes led to him pushing clear past her and walking towards the child. 

“Good afternoon, Nami,” Sidon greeted, catching her attention as he knelt down beside her. “How are you?”

“No one’s coming for me,” Minami noted, staring out towards the entrance. She blinked several times before she sighed, “Do you think my parents will ever come back?”

Sidon frowned at that for a moment. Biting back any doubt, the prince held his hand out and smiled, offering, “Why don’t you come home with me tonight?”

Nami’s head shot up and she stared at Sidon with wide eyes. 

“Really?”

“Oh yes,” Sidon said, grinning widely as Nami placed her tiny little hand in his. “This week, I shall look after you.”

The way Nami’s expression lit up warmed the Zora Prince’s heart, and her energy as she skipped home was endearing. When she sprinted up the stairs to the royal quarters, squealing excitedly as she jumped onto Muzu and asking about every tiny detail until she stumbled into the throne room before Sidon could sprint after her and explain to his father why a child had come home with him, he was beginning to see why the women were concerned about her energy and his lack of experience. 

Minami skidded towards King Dorephan, and only after she glanced up at him did she realize that maybe, just maybe she should have followed Sidon’s lead. 

“Hi,” she greeted nervously.

King Dorephan nodded hesitantly at the child as Sidon waltzed in, clearing his throat and bracing himself for some kind of tongue lashing that he hadn’t necessarily heard since he was a hatchling.

“Father,” Sidon greeted as he smiled nervously. “I must inform you-”

“I see you’ve taken in Minami for the week,” King Dorephan noted. He smiled kindly at the girl but when his gaze lifted towards Sidon his eyes narrowed. “And on a week that Princess Zelda and Link are due to visit no less.”

“Um,” Sidon coughed. “Kayden and Kodah have left for their honeymoon early and everyone else is very busy so I thought-”

“Did you not think that you would be just as busy?” the king questioned. He looked back down at Minami and smiled warmly at her, “Dear child, forgive me if my tone frightens you. Are you doing well?”

Minami curtseyed politely, “Yes, your majesty.”

Dorephan chuckled at that before he instructed, “Well then, as a guest of my son’s I will see to it that you rest well. Muzu, will you take her to the guest quarters?”

Minami lifted her head and suddenly looked to Sidon nervously, “Can I still be with Prince Sidon?”

“I’m afraid the prince will be quite busy during your stay, dear,” King Dorephan apologized, “But you needn’t worry, we will take good care of you.”

Sidon took one look at Nami’s distressed gaze and he grit his teeth, “Father, I apologize for my rashness but Nami is a child, not a hatchling! I am more than capable of looking after her and attending to my duties! I made a promise and I shall fulfill it just as I fulfill everything else.”

King Dorephan looked down skeptically at Sidon as if he himself was a child (which, in the grand scheme of things, Sidon was rather young to be claiming himself capable of looking after a little girl, but for goodness sake he was  _ babysitting _ not raising her as his own). Shifting his gaze, Dorephan looked to Muzu who merely shrugged and said, “It would be good for him.”

“Yes, but on such an important visit,” King Dorephan sighed, “Zelda is seeking out new champions to pilot the Divine Beasts after all.”

“Father, I will be fine,” Sidon insisted flippantly. King Dorephan looked down at Sidon and broke out into a smile suddenly. 

“You much like your mother,” he said. “You know that?”

Sidon smiled at that, “You tell me nearly every day, Father.”

“Alright, then Sidon I will task you with caring for our most special guest,” Dorephan gestured towards Minami who giggled excitedly. “But heed my warning, it is extremely important that you do not slack off on your other duties as well. At least while the Princess of Hyrule is here. You aren’t used to dividing your attention between two very important tasks like this.”

“Yes, Father,” Sidon nodded, and with that, he took Nami to his own quarters. 

Though attached to the royal palace, Sidon’s living space resembled more of a small apartment, allowing him to feel a bit of independence as an adult while still being able to stay close by his father’s side as the prince. It also allowed him a guest room where Nami could sleep, but it quickly became apparent as the child began bouncing excitedly off the walls that sleep may not be something Sidon was going to get that evening. 

“Nami, aren’t you tired?” Sidon asked after dinner. He had always been insistent on cooking for himself even though he was by no means a skilled chef, but after burning the request Nami had given and realizing he was by no means a suitable cook for a child, he settled for calling one of the attendants to bring them a meal. He had been trying - and failing - to focus on his studies while he drafted up a blueprint of Vah Ruta based on what the Zora knew and what Link had told him about, but Nami kept tugging on his arm and distracting him. 

At first it was a much welcomed distraction, enjoying himself as he pretended that he had as few cares in the world as the little girl did. 

But then she didn’t tire. 

And her energy kept building.

And goodness, she was certainly stronger than any of the other children Sidon played with and she knew how to use that strength to her advantage when she wanted attention.

Sidon had tried to put her to bed at least three times before he gave up and said Nami could stay up with him, hoping that would settle her down. But then she kept tugging on his fins or poking at his feet and getting into just about everything expensive that he owned. 

He probably should have thought to find toys that she could play with. 

He nearly lost it when Nami chucked her ball, intending for it to bounce off the wall only to miss her aim and strike a painting of his family from when Mipha and his mother were still alive, nearly causing it to fall off the wall.

“Sorry!” Nami yelped on reflex. Sidon bit back a growl but couldn’t keep a ferocious snort escape his lips as his gills flared out threateningly.

“Nami, please!” Sidon finally snapped, throwing his pen down, “It’s well past midnight and you need to get to bed!” 

His outburst startled the little girl and she looked up at him with pitiful eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” Nami looked downwards, “I didn’t mean to be a burden.”

“What?” Sidon was caught off guard by the sudden switch and his anger dissipated, “No, no, Nami you are anything but!”

“Yeah but I’m distracting you,” Nami kicked the ground. “I’ll go to bed now…”

“Now, wait a second,” Sidon rose out of his seat and knelt down on the ground beside the child, “Let’s start over. I’m sorry I yelled at you, I’m just tired is all and I have a lot of work to do. All I want is for you to be well rested for school tomorrow.”

Sidon placed a gentle hand on her shoulders, and he felt Nami’s entire form lift up as she sniffled. “I don’t want to go to bed…”

“And why is that?”

“I don’t like feeling lonely,” Nami whimpered. 

Sidon really should have known himself better to realize that his next move would prove to reveal one of his greatest weaknesses. Yet still, Sidon lifted Nami into his arms and set her on his lap. “Well, then, why don’t you rest with me.”

“Really?” Nami asked.

“Of course,” Sidon smiled, “But you best behave though, I have a lot that I need to do.”

“Okay,” Nami wiped watery eyes as she tucked herself into Sidon’s arm, pressing her forehead to his chest. “Thank you, Prince Sidon.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Dear One,” Sidon grinned down at what had to be the cutest thing he had ever seen in his life. “Try to sleep now.”

“Goodnight,” Nami hummed, nuzzling her face against the prince again. 

The child was sound asleep and limp in Sidon’s arms by the time he was finally able to go to sleep himself. He started to take her into the guest room, but paused at the doorway as he looked at the sleeping child in his arms. 

She didn’t want to be alone…

Sidon bit his lip, glancing back into the room. Something in the back of his mind told Sidon that letting her continue to sleep beside him would be a bad idea. And yet…

Huffing to himself, Sidon reclined against the large sofa in the living room, rested Nami on his chest, balancing her by the hand he placed on her back, and settled himself into his own slumber. 

He really should have had better foresight to know that that simple choice would lead to the alarming predicament he later found himself in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidon you've done fucked up. 
> 
> You got this girl wrapped around your finger THERE IS NO TURNING BACK.


	3. Roll With It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon begins to realize the flaw in his babysitting plan. 
> 
> If he had a plan.
> 
> He didn't have a plan. 
> 
> He's not used to not having a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good god I'm not even to the point where Sidon starts pining after Link and this fish is already a mess. 
> 
> Protect him.
> 
> PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS I SAY.

The next morning, Sidon learned the hard way how important it was to make sure a child went to bed at the proper time. 

He was always one to wake up with the sun, no matter how little sleep he had gotten the night before. That morning had been no different, as the sun rays caused the prince’s eyes to flutter open. His body, however, felt like lead and it took all his strength to lift himself up to get ready. 

The disgruntled moan that came from the child sleeping on his chest caught Sidon’s attention. 

“Nami,” he mumbled, trying to sit upright, “It’s time to get up.”

The statement immediately warranted pitiful whimpers from her. 

“Hey now,” Sidon tried to lift Nami off of him, but her claws dug into his scales and her whimpers escalated to a full on cry for help. 

“I’m so  _ tiiired _ ,” she blubbered, burying her face into Sidon’s form. The Zora Prince sat still for several minutes, too groggy to fully grasp the situation much less know how to handle it. 

“Nami, we both have busy days today,” Sidon tried to reason with her. “We best get up.”

Minami relented for a moment and allowed Sidon to set her down next to him. He then rose to his feet and began gathering his belongings first, then searching for hers so he could pack her school bag as Laflat instructed. Nami pulled the blankets off of the sofa and wrapped it around herself, trudging slowly as she followed Sidon around his quarters. Had Sidon not peered at the clock and panicked at how much time it had taken to convince her to get up because he suddenly had no clue how to prepare for his day with less time than usual, he would have seen the puddles welling up in Nami’s eyes. 

The puddles escalated to sniffles and instead of kneeling down to console her in some way shape or form like he should have, Sidon called the attendant to bring them breakfast, figuring that a good meal would wake her up.

Apparently, that was not the right course of action. 

Sidon had turned his attention away from Nami for the briefest of moments to take the food from the attendant and thank him when he heard a small splash from the guest room. The prince whipped his head around to find the blanket laying on the ground where Minami had been standing. 

His bafflement lasted for only a moment before the attendant asked, “How much did she sleep last night?”

“Well, it was hard to get her to bed that’s for sure,” Sidon heaved a sigh. 

“Oh dear,” the attendant groaned. “You’re going to have a hard time getting her off to school, My Prince.” 

Sidon gave the man a quizzical look before he shrugged and elaborated, “My wife and I have three little ones and it’s a bit of a nightmare sending them off when they didn’t go to bed on time. If you’d like, I can help you--”

“Oh, no no it’s alright,” Sidon smiled. It definitely was not alright but he had been so insistent to his father the day before that he could handle watching over a child while he watched over his personal duties at the same time. He’d be damned if he caved so soon. 

“Are you sure?” the attendant furrowed his brow, looking rather concerned. “My Prince, it would be no trouble at all--”

“Didn’t you say you have three little ones?” Sidon said kindly. “Certainly your wife could use some help getting them to school it’s not fair for me to be keeping you!”

“You are too kind, My Prince,” the attendant bowed. “But I will say, if you need help at any point, feel free to let me know. Also, I find that if you let the little ones rest for a few minutes while you gather their stuff, they’ll wake up a little more on the way to school.” 

“Thank you,” Sidon nodded. “I appreciate the advice.”

After the attendant left, Sidon headed the advice and packed Nami’s school bag for her. 

However, he was not prepared for what to do if he found the girl not resting, not dozing, but completely sound asleep in the sleeping pool of the guest room. 

Oh dear. 

Sidon glanced at the clock in the kitchen and bit his lip. School started at the same time in the morning that he was due to meet with his father to greet Princess Zelda and Link so he needed to get Nami to the courtyard at least fifteen minutes early. 

It was now fifteen minutes early.

And they were not at the courtyard. 

Sidon crouched down and swiped a hand against the side of Nami’s head, trying to stir her. “Minami, please wake up,” he pleaded. 

She stirred slightly but slipped back into sleep.

“Nami!” Sidon said a little louder, “You’re going to be late to school.”

At that, Nami’s eyes fluttered for a moment before she ducked her head into the water of the heated pool and whimpered. 

“Nami-”

“I don’t feel good,” she cried out. Sidon tried so hard not to tell her it was just because she didn’t go to bed on time as he lifted her out of the pool, but the child’s whimpers quickly escalated to wails as she tried to tuck her head into the nape of Sidon’s neck. Not knowing what else to do, Sidon tried swaying back and forth gently, hushing her cries as if she were a hatchling. 

Ten minutes until the start of the day. 

Crap.

After a few minutes of Sidon haphazardly trying to pull his things together and put on his royal armor with one arm and a child obstructing the front portion of his body where he needed to fasten his weapon’s belt, Nami finally calmed down enough and lifted her head. She rubbed her eyes, her lip quivering as if she were trying to pull herself together. 

Gently, Sidon tried to smile at the girl as he wiped a few tears off of her cheeks before he set her back down. 

“Now, sweet girl, are you going to be okay?” Sidon asked. Nami didn’t really give him an answer but she continued rubbing her eyes. 

Sitting back on his feet, Sidon was once again at a loss, ignoring the clock.

He couldn’t just send the poor thing off in tears!

“There’s no need to cry,” Sidon said, feeling really awkward and really confused as to how he was going to console a child that was crying for little reason other than she just wanted to go back to bed, “Because I know you’re going to be just fine! You’ll be more than fine! You’ll be fantastic!! You know how I know?”

Nami sniffled, giving Sidon a very confused stare. 

“Because you’re fantastic! Tremendous even! And you’re going to go off to school and have a beautiful day with your classmates and teachers!” Sidon announced over charismatically as he brought his hand to a fist and struck his signature pose. 

He had no clue what Nami’s reaction would be but he honestly did not expect the child to start screaming because she was sobbing so hard. 

“Oh! No, no, no Nami, no!” Sidon waved his hands frantically as he tried to plead with the sobbing girl only to realize that his efforts were useless. 

Screw his duties, the kid had three minutes to get to school. 

Not sure what the proper course of action was, Sidon scooped Nami into his arms, grabbed her school bag and her ball for recess, and flew out the door while trying to ignore the confused (and slightly judgemental...rude) stares that were being thrown his direction. It was a crisp autumn morning and the wind blowing in the Prince’s face certainly did something to wake him up a bit more than he had been.

Actually, it did wonders to finally wake Nami up and within minutes she was trying to wriggle out of his grasp and play with him. 

What, so he just needed to take her outside if she was tired? 

Sidon bit back a groan and set Nami down as they trotted down the stares into the courtyard where Laflat and the other teachers were waiting. 

“Late start?” Laflat guessed as Sidon power slid onto his knees and helped Nami straighten herself out and hand her the school bag. 

“Just a little trouble getting up this morning,” Sidon said, not wanting to admit that he had actually allowed a little girl to stay up past midnight. He glanced back to Nami who still looked a little puffy eyed. “Alright Nami, here’s your bag. I put everything in it, your books, your homework…”

“Her lunch?” Laflat asked.

“You’re…” Sidon stopped and it felt as if a million lightning bolts had shot him dead right then and there. “You’re lunch! Oh for heaven’s sake, Nami I’m so sorry I will return home and make that right--!”

Before Sidon could spin too far out of control in panic, Laflat held up a brown paper bag with Nami’s name written neatly on the front. 

“I made a spare just in case,” she explained, looking rather amused at the whole situation. Laflat passed it to Sidon who sighed in relief as he presented it to Nami.

“And. You’re lunch, my dear,” Sidon smiled, suddenly feeling his own exhaustion kick in. 

Nami’s bright beautiful smile finally returned as she took the lunch bag in hand, thanking Sidon. She looked up at him with those big golden eyes and the prince felt his heat melting all over again. They were warm like the sun and he would never understand why she hadn’t swept some other defenseless Zora off their feet and had been adopted yet. 

To make matters worse, Nami took a few steps forward and wrapped her little arms around Sidon’s neck, giggling brightly, and the prince hadn’t known anything more pure and good in his whole life.

“Have a good day at school, Minami,” Sidon said, hugging the child back. He gave her one tight squeeze for good measure, heart soaring at the louder laughter that arose from her in response, before he let her go and said, “Now, you best be off.”

“Bye, Sidon!” Nami grinned, running towards the classrooms as she waved goodbye to him and Sidon let out a content sigh as he rose back to his feet. 

Only to be met by a  _ very _ smug looking Laflat.

“What?” Sidon asked indignantly. 

“I know that look,” she grinned. “Careful, Prince, you just might fall in love.” 

Sidon chuckled at that and crossed his arms, watching as the other children met with their teachers. It was funny, he thought, Laflat may have been a little too late with that warning.

The bells chimed in the distance, signaling the start of the day when suddenly, Laflat brought Sidon back down to reality, “...shouldn’t you be with your father right now?”

Prince Sidon nearly jumped out of his skin. 

“Oh my gosh,” Sidon smacked his hands to his face and spun around uselessly. “Ohhhhh no! How could I be so late!” 

“Babysitting, Prince,” Laflat noted. “That’s how.”

“Laflat, please! I told my father that I would handle both duties with no problem!” Sidon nearly wailed. “Ohhh what am I to do!? He’s going to--”

The sound of horns froze Prince Sidon in place and his head whipped around towards the great stairs that led up to the courtyard. His blood ran cold when he saw the tops of two blonde heads and elven ears emerge from the stairs as he wondered how in the hell he was going to explain to Princess Zelda that he was not where he needed to be when he knew full well that she was due to arrive--

Wait. 

He was at the entrance to the Zora Domain. 

Right as they were arriving. 

Hylia be praised, there was actually hope to save the Zora Prince from his blunders after all! 

Sidon straightened himself out and cleared his throat as he sauntered forward, feeling rather pleased with himself as he greeted, “Princess Zelda! And Master Link! It is most excellent to see you both!” 

“Prince Sidon,” Zelda smiled, brushing long strands of hair out of her face. “What a pleasant surprise to be greeted at the main entrance like this!”

“Oh, but of course!” Sidon bowed to the princess, “I only wish to offer the warmest hospitality to such an esteemed and beloved guest!” 

They chatted endlessly about nothing the entire walk to the throne room. Zelda had been chattering on and on about the political climate between the Hylians and the Sheikah Tribe - none of which really affected anyone else but it seemed to be frustrating Zelda so he let her rant and nodded along - and Sidon stole a few glances back at Link who lumbered on behind them, looking drained. 

He had wanted to ask what was wrong, but he got distracted when he walked into the throne room, mentally pat himself on the back and greeted, “Father! Our esteemed guests have arrived!” 

King Dorephan gave a gruff noise and shot Sidon a dark glare for only the briefest of moments before he righted himself and smiled down at the Hylians. “Sidon! I had not anticipated that you would greet them at the front gate this morning.”

“Oh, well, they’ve traveled long and far, I simply wanted to assure that their belongings were taken to the guest quarters straight away and that I could ease them of any burden from their travels as soon as possible,” Sidon smiled, feeling bad that he was lying clear through his teeth but feeling too pleased with himself that he somehow made everything work out to care.

King Dorephan gave Sidon a skeptical look for a long moment, humming to himself. He exchanged an unreadable glance at Muzu before suddenly, Sidon’s father broke out into a billowing laughter. “Haha! That’s my boy! Truly, truly, you are going to surpass me in the blink of an eye!” 

Sidon huffed at that, holding his arms down to conceal the fact that his gills had flared in embarrassment by the statement. 

“I...wouldn’t say that surpassing is the correct word, Father…” Sidon gritted his teeth. Okay, now he was starting to care that he had lied through his teeth. 

A lot. 

He hated lying to his father. 

Nevertheless, Sidon had no time to worry about the past as he was whisked away with the business Zelda wanted to discuss: Vah Ruta. 

The woman blew through everything like a whirlwind and Sidon was amazed that she never seemed to tire. Link, on the other hand, was definitely looking worse for wear and the Zora Prince was beginning to understand why.

She had been in the Domain for merely two hours when she announced that she wanted to begin her search for the next Champion of the Divine Beast immediately. 

Definitely feeling exhaustion overtake him from having stayed up so late, been run down by a child, allowing said child to sleep with him, not even getting to sleep in his own pool but rather crashed on the sofa (he still felt a kink in his tail that he couldn’t quite seem to stretch out properly) and then scrambling to get her to school on time, Sidon had only caught half the conversation. However, when he heard Zelda make the request, his head shot up in surprise. 

“Pardon?” Sidon asked. “You want to begin the search  _ now _ ?”

“Well, that’s just the thing,” Zelda said, an odd glint in her eye as she spoke. “Based on the findings that we have had in the other regions, I no longer believe there will need to be a search for someone who can appease the Divine Beast.” 

“How do you mean?” King Dorephan asked suspiciously.

“Well, so far we’ve only tested this out with Vah Neboris and Vah Medoh, but I have a hypothesis,” the princess explained. “After many trials in both the respective beasts’ regions, the champions wound up being Gerudo Chief Riju and Teba of the Rito. Both of them were individuals who helped Link appease the beasts and free the spirits of the previous champions when we were fighting Ganon, so it wouldn’t be an unreasonable guess to say that since Prince Sidon aided Link in appeasing Vah Ruta, that he may be the next champion.”

The more Zelda spoke, the sicker Sidon was beginning to feel. The pit in his stomach washed over him like a thunder cloud as he braced his hand on the table.

Neither the Gerudo nor the Rito were people who lived lifespans long enough to fully understand how horrific the Great Calamity had been. But the Zora knew. 

Sidon knew. 

 

_ The pouring rain.  _

_ The demonizing guardians.  _

_ Vah Ruta’s distant roars.  _

_ The soldiers running in, screaming, begging for help as they carried the wounded on their backs.  _

_ “Where’s Princess Mipha?!” someone cried. _

_ “We have to save her!” his mother roared as his father tried to hold her back.  _

_ “There is nothing we can do!” his father insisted through tears. “The Divine Beast has turned against us!” _

_ “But that’s my daughter!” his mother wailed. _

_ That was the first time he saw Mother cry.  _

_ He didn’t know that it would be the last time either. _

 

“Sidon?” Link’s soft and rarely spoken voice cut through Sidon’s memory like a knife, bringing the prince back to the present with a start. 

“Oh! Forgive me,” Sidon shook the sick feelings off as he blinked several times, “Come again?”

“I want to test my hypothesis out as quickly as possible,” Zelda said, looking slightly annoyed. “You’ll need to take us to the Divine Beast and see if you can activate the main control console inside.”

Sidon was still in a state of exhaustion and disbelief and couldn’t ask more than, “Now?”

“Well, not now, of course,” Zelda laughed, as if he had told a joke, “After Link and I unpack in an hour or so.”

“In an hour,” Sidon said, trying not to come off as rude. He subconsciously glanced to the side at the grandfather clock and bit the inside of his lip. He needed to pick up Nami by then. “I apologize, princess, but I have much to attend to tonight. Could we possibly wait until tomorrow morning?”

“Tomorrow morning?” Zelda scoffed flippantly, “Then we lose an entire evening’s time that could be spent training you!” 

Sidon reared his head back at that in surprise, “Now hold on just a moment, this morning we were talking about searching for a new champion now you’ve just decided that it’s me and there is training to be done?”

“Naturally!” Zelda retorted, “For all we know Calamity Ganon could return and return stronger than ever. For all we know he could return tomorrow and we must be ready!”

“I thought you sealed him away!”

“I did!” Zelda spat, “But do we want to waste several more generations and risk the Divine Beasts being lost to history once again!? We need to ensure that the knowledge we have acquired is passed down amongst out people and to do that we must have a champion for each divine beast no matter what! That that must start immediately!”

“Princess Zelda,” Sidon heaved a sigh, trying  _ very hard _ to keep from disrespecting the woman. 

As much as he respected Princess Zelda and looked to her as a friend, Sidon couldn’t help but admit that out of all the responsibilities of a Zora King, reasoning with her was by far the one thing he dreaded. 

There was no reasoning with her. 

It didn’t matter how many times Sidon said that there were way more important things for the Zora - and the Hylians, especially the Hylians! - to worry about, his opinion didn’t seem to matter at all. In terms of status, they were on equal ground and once Hyrule was properly rebuilt and there could be a proper coronation she would be on even higher ground and Sidon, no matter how quick his wit, could never keep up with the speed at which Zelda operated intellectually. There was just no way! 

Also, technically, she was older than him. 

And no matter how many times Sidon had vented to Link that biologically, she was really not much older (or more mature) than seventeen, apparently chronology was the winning argument because no other argument made any sense to Zelda. 

Unless Link was the one trying to reason with her because even though he definitely had a good three or four years on her, she kept arguing that he had been asleep the entire time so his judgement didn’t count.

But that wasn’t the current issue, Sidon was just distracting him from his real worries.

What the hell was he going to do about Nami. 

“Princess Zelda,” King Dorephan interjected suddenly, “I understand your drive to get to moving as quickly as possible but, you see, it’s been so long since we’ve been able to enjoy the company of our dear Hylian friends. The duties Sidon was referring to, well, we wanted to surprise you with a banquet in your honor tonight and I had placed him in charge of planning that.”

At that, Zelda perked up, at a loss for words for once, “O-oh. Well, that’s very kind but King Dorephan--”

“You would give us the honor of expressing our gratitude for all you have done, wouldn’t you?” King Dorephan asked. 

Zelda glanced down at the table with wide eyes, then looked over to Link who gave her an approving nod before she said, “But of course, King Dorephan. I would love to attend that, thank you. Prince Sidon, I will postpone our meeting with Vah Ruta until morning, is that alright?”

“That is perfectly fine with me, Princess,” Sidon answered. 

Shortly after that, Zelda excused herself and Link followed closely behind. Once they were out of the room, Sidon gave his father a quizzical look, “You did not tell me that I was planning a banquet in their honor, Father.”

“Oh, well that’s because you’re not,” King Dorephan took a sip of his wine, looking rather smug. “I will have Muzu send out invitations and Kapson will throw together a small party. Honestly, as long as we make sure there is wine and spirits it will be fine.”

Sidon only felt more confused. “Yes, but...what exactly are you doing?”

“Oh, same thing that you figured out to do just this morning,” King Dorephan grinned, a bright twinkle in his eye, “It’s called, ‘rolling with it.’”

Sidon pursed his lips, trying not to wither under his father’s gaze but also realizing that, somehow, the king didn’t even need to see how hectic the night before had been to know that his son was in over his head and had bluffed through most of the day. 

“You see, my son,” King Dorephan set his chalice down on the table, “When you’re a father, your duties as King or Prince or whatever the title become secondary. Yes, you’re people are most important. But your child - now, your  _ child _ , that is what’s truly important. That’s the  _ future _ of our people that you’re caring for and  _ that _ is what you must make your priority. As long as you’re performing your duties as a parent with your best effort, the other responsibilities...they don’t need to be perfect. Plus, after a few years, the child grows, they’re more self-sufficient and can start helping you run the kingdom with their best effort as well.”

Sidon folded his hands behind his back, bouncing on his heels anxiously as he tried to piece together what exactly his father was implying. “I understand father...but I am merely a caretaker for a child this week. It’s only temporary. I mean--of course, I wish for kids, Father, I always have...and I understand what you are trying to say in terms of this immediate application but...Minami is not my child.”

King Dorephan picked his chalice back up and took a long, long sip of his wine before he said more. 

“You’re still learning, Sidon,” he said simply. “And that is all you need worry about. As for this week, you will learn to work with the cards that are handed to you just fine. Take tonight off to look after Minami and I will handle the rest until morning. If you can handle your duties the way you did this morning, all will be well.”

Sidon nodded, thanking his father before he turned to leave. As he stepped out of the doorway, however, King Dorephan stopped him once again: “And Sidon?”

“Yes, Father?” Sidon asked, turning back to fact the king. 

Dorephan smiled playfully and added, “The most important thing you should know is that the Hylian Royal family can never be reasoned with. But they can be flirted with. If you are ever at odds with Zelda when you are King and she is not relenting, throw her a party. It’ll give you time to collect your thoughts and allow her to put her mind at ease and much easier to persuade. Trust me, her father was the same way.”

Sidon chuckled at that, shaking his head, “Thank you, Father.”

With that, he returned to the courtyard to pick Nami up and felt so at ease when she greeted him with the biggest and tightest hug he had ever received. As he held hands with the child on the walk home and she rattled on endlessly about everything she had learned, Sidon had somehow convinced himself that the worst was over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awkward moment when your dad decides that you're adopting your future daughter before you do. 
> 
> Dorephan knows his son too well XD 
> 
> Also, I swear the jargon and everything will get less formal as the story goes on. Sidon and Link just haven't dropped their walls yet, just wait until they do they're complete fucking goons.
> 
> Also also, I swear Zelda's not always going to be such a pain in the ass. She just has her shit together way better than the boys. She always does. She wants to get everything done and get it done now so she can rebuild her kingdom.


	4. Illness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon isn't sure whether he has bad luck or even worse judgement, but either way it would seem that he just can't catch a break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy get ready. 
> 
> Also...I'm playing around with Zora biology because honestly, that whole race fascinates me to no end so please humor me. I have a degree in Health Science, it's basically my job to be a nerd at this point.

The worst was not over.

The worst definitely was far from over.

Sidon didn’t even have a concept of what “the worst” was until he was three days deep into sleepless nights and the most hectic mornings and afternoons he ever had to deal with and Zelda had been spending the last twenty minutes trying to convince him to just go inside the damn beast.

He didn’t even know what he was doing wrong that caused Nami to have such a hard time sleeping; it didn’t matter what he did it was either impossible to put her to bed or she would wake up in the middle of the night crying because of a bad dream and it would take hours to coax her back into her sleeping pool if Sidon could even get that far. Most of the time she just wanted to stay close with him, and he didn’t see the issue in that until it was too late.

It wasn’t that he minded being close with the child, he was just baffled at first when the other Zora who had looked after Nami before were surprised when he asked them what to do if she wouldn’t sleep.

“I’ve never had that problem,” Tempa said.

“She’s always been fine for me,” Midra agreed.

“But she’s run away before, hasn’t she?” Sidon pressed. “I mean, I found her that one night.”

“The night you brought her back was really the only time she did that though,” Tempa shrugged. “At least that I know of.”

What was worse was that after the third day watching Nami, Sidon started noticing a peculiar change in himself. As stressful as trying to do double duty of meeting Zelda’s demands and looking after Nami, he by far preferred that chaos over being away from the Domain while she was at school. He did _not_ find it easy to bid her goodbye and the rest of the day he spent itching to pick her up. He was getting irritable, he was already tired, and it felt like there was a gaping hole in his chest but no reason to explain it.

It wasn’t until he snapped at Muzu accidentally that the reason behind the extra stressor started to make sense but it also made everything so much worse.

Honestly, Sidon couldn’t even recall what it was that he said to Muzu, but he certainly knew it was uncalled for. The elder retracted in surprise and a little hurt, and Sidon immediately regretted everything. “Muzu! Oh goodness me, I am so sorry I didn’t mean to...I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Muzu looked the prince up and down before he asked, “Prince Sidon...where has Minami been sleeping?”

Sidon recoiled at that, not sure why his advisor thought to ask. “I’ve been _trying_ to get her to sleep in the guest room,” he snarled, “But the child is so restless I can only get her to settle down when she’s with me.”

“Have you held her to your chest at all?”

“She’s a child, Muzu, of course I have!”

“How often?”

“As often as I need to!”

“Oh dear,” Muzu rubbed his hand against his face and groaned. “Oh, My Prince, she’s imprinting on you!”

Sidon froze, clueless.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Ohhh, how could anyone have expected you to know?” Muzu sighed with distress. “Sidon, my boy, shark-based Zora are so much more attuned to their instincts that mammalian-based Zora are and...hatchlings seek out adults to imprint on for protection by bonding with them and maintaining physical contact with them. Normally that falls to the parents but Minami doesn’t have any and you’ve allowed the behavior!”

“Wait,” Sidon felt weak in the knees suddenly, “So you’re saying that she thinks I’m her _father_?!”

“No, I’m saying that your instincts are now convinced that _she_ is your _daughter_!”

“Nooooo,” Sidon whined, feeling pathetic. No. No no no no nope. No no. Nu-uh. He wasn’t fit to take care of a child! “How do I fix it!?”

“You stop letting her sit on your lap in the middle of dinner is what you do, you big pushover!”

“I’m not that much of a pushover!”

A pointed glare from Muzu told Sidon that the elder didn’t believe that statement and the prince had to admit that he was right.

Children were his weakness. Of course his well-intended offer would bite him in the ass like this.

And of course his instincts would get in the way of such a well-intended offer like this.

The rest of the day was even more of a mess with this knowledge and his skin was crawling until he could excuse himself to pick Nami up. He needed to follow Muzu’s advice. It wasn’t fair for him to lead her on and allow her to imprint on him. He wasn’t parent material and he couldn’t even offer advice on how to deal with shark-based instincts because he barely had a grasp on his own! The elders didn’t have much to say about them at this point and his mother had met her demise before she could even pass on half of what he needed to know!

As far as Sidon knew, Nami was better off bouncing back and forth between the community than get stuck feeling attached to him. He needed to be strong and keep things from escalating.

His willpower to keep the child at a distance, however, didn’t even last through the night.

“I drew a picture!” Nami tried to show the prince, leaning against his arm. Hyper aware of his urge to bounce her on his legs and praise her for her artistic talent, Sidon forced himself to scoot away and admire the drawing from a distance. Nami glanced up at him, her expression unreadable.

An hour later, Nami was climbing on Sidon’s back trying to play wrestle and it physically hurt the prince to pluck her off of him and set her down with some haphazard excuse that he needed to work on something for the princess.

By dinner time, Nami was picking at her food, rolling a ball of rice around on her plate.

“Everything alright?” Sidon asked.

The child shrugged.

“You’ve hardly touched your food--”

“Did I do something wrong?” Minami asked, looking up at Sidon with wide wet eyes.

Sidon felt his heart drop.

“What?” he asked. “Nami, what on earth do you mean?”

The girl sniffled, forcing to keep her face even enough to speak as she said, “The teachers were all talking about how I’m keeping you awake. And...you’re acting different...like everyone else does around me but I don’t know what I did.”

Sidon’s heart sprouted limbs and a mind of its own as it tore itself through his chest and ran far away from him, leaving only a gaping hole.

Crap.

Crap crap crap.

“Oh, Nami,” Sidon sighed, lunging out of his seat to console the little girl.

He stopped himself.

He needed to pull himself together. His instincts couldn’t keep getting in the way of his duties. They had no place interfering with the royal family.

At least, that’s what he had been told for most of his life.

Such words had pushed him to tears as a little boy and he could distinctly remember running into his mother’s arms crying, asking her what to do and how he could make his brash, supposedly aggressive instincts go away.

 

_“Oh, my sweet boy,” his mother cooed, wrapping him into her arms and holding her close to his chest. He always felt safe in her arms. “Your instincts are neither bad nor aggressive. They are what make you who you are, and you are one of the kindest souls I have ever known.”_

_“But,” Sidon sniffled, “but I can’t control them! That’s what all my teachers say.”_

_“No, no, sweetie,” Mother pressed her hand to his head, enveloping him in her warmth and her love fully, “Instincts are not something to be controlled, they are something that you listen to instead. And that’s what makes them so magical. It’s hard for Zora like your teachers or even your father to understand, but for us shark-based, instincts as strong as ours are a magical gift. Your teachers mean well, but trust me when I say that you have no need to try to shut them out or push them aside.”_

_Sidon sniffled, burying his face into Mother’s chest as he smiled and said, “Okay, Mama.”_

 

In one fowl swoop, Sidon said “fuck it” to his better judgement and pulled Nami into a hug that he hoped even slightly rivaled his mother’s. Nami let out a confused grunt but didn’t protest the movement, and Sidon didn’t know if the tight squeeze he gave her was for her comfort or his own.

“I’m sorry, Nami,” he said, kicking himself for not having better self-control but deciding to take his father’s advice and just “roll with it” while taking his mother’s and listening to his own instincts for once in his life. “It’s just been a long day, you’ve done nothing wrong.”

Nami was quiet for a long moment as she nuzzled her head against the base of Sidon’s shoulder.

“Are my instincts bad?” she finally asked.

“Why do you ask that?” Sidon asked.

“Laflat said that I need to be better about controlling them,” Nami explained and Sidon could feel her small form deflating in his arms. “She said that if I don’t then I would...imprint? I don’t know what that is but she made it seem like it would be really bad for you.”

“Now you needn’t worry about that, Little One,” Sidon said. “And your instincts are far from bad. They are a wonderful thing that makes Zora like you and me unique. Not everyone has them though, so sometimes it’s hard for others to understand and it’s not something that can be explained.”

“How do you know?” Nami asked, glancing up at the prince.

Sidon couldn’t help but chuckle as he answered, “I know, because my mother knew. And she was the wisest Zora of them all. You know what else she knew?”

Nami giggled, “What?”

“She knew that instincts aren’t a thing you need to worry about controlling,” Sidon said to her, “In fact, they’re something you actually listen to.”

“How do I do that?” she asked.

Sidon hummed, thinking on that for a moment. If he had asked his mother how to do such a thing, he didn’t remember. Most of what he learned he learned by watching her from the time that he was a hatchling. But the child in his arms didn’t quite have that luxury, so the prince huffed and tried to explain to her, “Well, it’s hard to explain. But sometimes, you might find that you have an uncontrollable urge to...do something. It’s not something small, like indulging in the special desserts Laflat occasionally makes or running outside to play when it’s sunny. It’s more like...well, it could be anything but all I know to say is that you just feel _wrong_ until you act on that urge. That urge, that’s your instinct. It could tell you anything from if a storm is underway to if someone has unkind intentions towards you. It’s just a matter of knowing how it is you must act in response to that urge.”

“So…” Nami glanced down at Sidon’s hand, of which she had been absent-mindedly playing with while he spoke. She poke his palm with a small claw-tipped finger before she looked up and asked uncertainly, “Is it like...when I have a bad dream but I know I’ll be okay if I tell you about it?”

Sidon did his best to hide the puddles that emerged from his eyes as he smiled and said, “Yes, Nami, it’s exactly like that.”

Despite the immediate gratification Sidon felt when he saw that chipper smile remain on the child’s face the rest of the night, if the prince was sleepless it wasn’t because Nami woke him.

He wasn’t fit to raise a child.

He was barely fit to play babysitter and yet here he was, allowing Minami to imprint on him and even indulging himself in the idea of _well, what if he adopted her? It wasn’t like he’d be capable to produce a biological child of his own anyway!_

The Goddesses must’ve been having a grand time messing with the Zora prince, because the very next day, Nami got sick.

It was little more than the common cold, but the virus that was annoying to most species was complete agony for Zora. They came on suddenly and without warning, knocking even the strongest of warriors off their feet for over several days. Of all the injuries Sidon had sustained, he couldn’t think of anything more painful than his gills filling with pus and mucus and becoming so inflamed that they couldn’t open properly when he coughed and being tender to the touch.

Sidon had been fidgeting with the control panel of Ruta, beginning to understand some of the markings on the screen and what each button and dial did, while Zelda explained how to control Ruta’s trunk when a guard climbed up to the entrance looking panicked.

“My prince!” he cried out, “you are being requested to return to the Domain immediately.”

“My apologies, but I’m afraid that is going to wait,” Zelda said calmly, though she received an annoyed glare from Sidon and a sharp hiss from Link.

“But,” the guard looked baffled, “My Prince, Minami is ill.”

That snapped Sidon to attention.

“What?” he asked.

“She’s caught cold-like symptoms and is being kept in an infirmary so the other children don’t catch it,” the guard explained, “but she’s quite distressed and is requesting your presence!”

“I’ll come right back,” Sidon said, stepping away from the controls. “Zelda, my apologies but I must attend to this child.”

“It’s just a cold, Sidon, I’m sure she’ll be fine,” the princess dismissed. “We have much work to do.”

“Zelda,” Link said in a stern voice. Even Sidon had to pause at the weight of his tone. The Hylian had been mostly mute for most of his life and even the short phrases or words he could say often fell off his tongue clumsily and quietly at best.

“Oh come now,” the princess scoffed, looking frustrated, “I know we’re all tired but we must keep going. I know you feel the need to play babysitter for this girl, but Prince Sidon if you want to control the divine beast then you need to--”

“Zelda!” Link barked again, but he spoke too late for Sidon marched up to the young woman and stood over her, glaring fiercely down at her.

“Do not mock me, Princess,” he snarled, letting out a growl for emphasis before he took a step back. “My people and their well-being come before the prison that my sister died in. Never forget that.”

Zelda stared up at the prince with wide, frightened eyes. “Prince Sidon, I did not mean to offend, I just--”

“You will just have to wait until tomorrow,” Sidon scowled. “I am sorry if this wastes the remainder of your plans for today but I am _certain_ there are other tasks that you need to tend to for _your people_.”

Should he have stormed off like that so abruptly without checking to see how his outburst was received? Absolutely not.

Did he really care in that moment? Well, any sliver of worry that had been dedicated to the princess had been recommitted to the little girl who was crying out in pain at the infirmary.

To prevent him from catching a cold as well, one of the nurses gave Sidon a vaccination and made him wait a half an hour for it to circulate through his blood stream before he could see Nami, but it felt like hours as he listened to her endless coughing.

He took her back to his quarters and set her gently down on the seabed that he had requested (per the doctor’s recommendation). Even so, Sidon felt helpless as he watched the poor child suffer. She could hardly hold down any food, much less the cold medicine she had been prescribed and she barely had any energy to even cry out in pain.

Wow, what a way to kick off Sidon’s first babysitting experience with this poor thing.

Sidon had been smacking his head against the counter debating whether or not he needed to write an acceptance speech for World’s Worst Caretaker when he received a knock on the door.

Exhausted and ready to fight just about anything, Sidon was pleasantly surprised to find that the person waiting for him was actually someone he wanted to see.

“Link,” Sidon sighed in relief, the weight of his sleepless nights finally catching up with him, “It’s good to see you. Please tell your princess that I am terribly sorry about earlier.”

“No no,” Link said aloud, stepping inside once the invitation was extended via a slightly more open door. “How is she?”

“Well, she’s sleeping finally,” Sidon shrugged. “I really am sorry about everything though. I regret to admit that I may have taken on a little too much. And poor Nami has some phenomenal luck as of late.”

Link nodded his head, his gaze shifting over to the sleeping child. He opened his mouth and drew in a breath, as if he was going to say something, but the word got caught in his throat and his brow knit together. He tried again and this time he pitched forward slightly and disguised his frustration with a cough, giving up and lifting his hands to just communicate with sign language. Sidon waited patiently, pretending he had not caught his friend’s frustration as Link asked, “has she had dinner yet?”

“No,” Sidon sighed. “She can’t hold anything down. The attendants brought us a few meals but...they either don’t appeal to what little appetite she has or he throws them up.”

“Have you cooked anything?”

Sidon had to laugh at that. “Oh, Link, you’re overestimating my ability in the kitchen.”

Link hummed at that, eyes sparkling with what Sidon mistook for something condescending. Before he could feel hurt by the look, however, Link smiled and spoke, “I’ll help.”

“Pardon?” Sidon asked in confusion, watching as the Hylian stepped around him to reach underneath the counter to the cabinets that housed a few pots and pans. Link asked Sidon to find him some ingredients and herbs, and when he brought the request back from the palace’s pantry, Sidon watched in amazement as Link turned ripe vegetables and hearty meats into a wonderful-smelling stew.

“Where did you learn to cook?” Sidon asked in amazement after Link had him sample the broth (it was the greatest thing he had ever tasted!).

Link laughed as he signed, “Some recipes I learned from my dad. Some I picked up on my travels. This recipe I learned from Impa. It’s supposed to boost immunity and ease cold symptoms.”

“Incredible,” Sidon said, hoping that Nami would at least be willing to try it.

Link spooned a small amount of stew into a bowl and took it over to the sea bed, kneeling down as he pressed a hand to Nami’s shoulder. The girl stirred, her eyes fluttering open while she tried to take in a deeper breath than her body would allow, her gills letting out a pitiful wheezing sound.

Nami had met Link during his last visit in the Domain, running up to him with curiosity the day after Sidon had received confirmation of his sister’s demise. She had had a million questions for him, and after a near traumatizing accident involving most of Sidon’s teeth getting knocked out during a friendly sparring match, Nami only had a million more questions for the Hylian that was capable of knocking the prince off his feet. The way she sat up and looked at Link in awe despite how ill she felt was certainly an indicator to Sidon that the child definitely remembered her favorite Hylian and that she was happy to see him.

“Link,” Nami croaked.

Link held the soup bowl up to Nami and asked, “Wanna try?”

It took some convincing, but she eventually sat up and took the bowl in her hands, lifting the spoon to her mouth and taking a hesitant sip. She looked back up to Link and said, “It’s good!”

To Sidon’s amazement and relief, one bite turned into two which turned into Nami eating every last drop in the bowl and asking for seconds. He didn’t know what magic Link possessed to brew a delicious meal that perked Nami up as much as it did, he couldn’t have been more grateful.

The night went on and Link offered to stay with Sidon so he could have a chance to sleep. They took turns keeping an eye on Nami and despite the sporadic schedule, Sidon had to admit that he was more rested that morning than he had been in several days. Minami was by no means well enough to go to school the next day, but Link was kind enough to offer to keep watch over her while Sidon attended his morning duties.

While Sidon was met with a particularly aggravated Zelda, she seemed much more empathetic towards him when they began work on the Divine Beast. Though it didn’t change how much Sidon was itching to get home that afternoon, he had to admit that knowing Nami was in good care put his mind at ease. The ease even made way for joy when he stepped through the door and found Link sitting on the bed with Minami, the two laughing as he taught her sign language.

One week with Nami turned into two while she recovered, and a few days with Zelda and Link for strictly professional visits turned into Link staying with Sidon until Nami was better and Zelda indulging herself in the company as she came over for dinner in the evenings and brought books for Nami to read.

Watching the way Minami’s long tail wagged in delight when she sat on the princess’s lap and went through the colorful pages of each story sparked an idea in Sidon and he spent the first free moment to himself with his father in the royal library picking out books that they thought Minami would enjoy.

It was in one particular evening, while Link prepared dinner and Nami had recovered enough strength to feel playful and use Sidon as a jungle gym while she waited for Zelda to return from a meeting with another story that the horrible thought occurred to the prince:

He could get used to this.

Worse yet, he _wanted_ to get used to this.

Even worse, parting from Link was starting to leave a similar gaping hole in his chest that parting from Nami did. And while Sidon felt like he had the strength of ten thousand kings when Nami looked up to him and smiled, Link’s laughter made the prince weak in the knees.

Was the Hylian always so muscular? And handsome? Did the light always dance on his hair and make him look like an angel sent from Heaven above? 

Oh no.

Oh no this was not good.

Sidon stared down at his food as a dawning realization began to sink in, the gossip and the laughter at the table seemed so distant from him.

He had been wrong before. The worst was far from over, in fact, it was only beginning:

The bastard had a crush on Link.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH SHIT.


	5. Doomed Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon had always suspected something about himself, but the confirmation of such suspicions was enough to break him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....let it be known that this was the chapter I spent an ungodly amount of time trying to figure out what noises sharks made only to find out that they have no vocal chords so I just turned Sidon into a cat. Woops.
> 
> (okay, but come on, don't tell me that purring affectionate zora isn't the cutest thing to ever pop into your brain)
> 
> also, this chapter was supposed to be longer and end in cute life chats with Dorephan....
> 
> and then the first part turned out longer than expected so yaaaaay have some unresolved angst XD

Sidon lied awake in the sea bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. Despite the fact that Nami had been feeling better, she still couldn’t stay immersed in water for long and she wanted to stay close to Sidon and Link. As a result, the child was huddled up against the prince’s side, sound asleep, and because Link evidently moved around a lot in his sleep he decided to spare the sick one and lay on the other side of Sidon. 

It would have been a lot easier for the prince to process his unbearable wave of emotion if the Hylian hadn’t rolled over suddenly, draping an arm and a leg over his chest before promptly letting out a loud snore. 

_ Oh no, he was adorable _ . 

Sidon gulped and tried to concentrate more on the zora girl tucked in neatly between his arm and his trunk and less on the small man whose golden hair brushed up against his neck. 

Eventually, Link rolled over again and stayed closer to the edge of the bed the rest of the night, but that didn’t help Sidon drift to sleep like he thought it would have. The warmth that he was starting to take a grand liking to was gone. Sidon placed his free hand to his chest and spent the time before sunrise taking slow deep breaths and trying to quell his frantic heartbeats. 

The next morning was the first morning that Minami was well enough to go to school and just when Sidon thought Link couldn’t make things any worse, the beautiful little Hylian offered to go with them to the courtyard to drop her off. He stayed closed to Sidon the entire walk, and it took everything the Zora prince had to keep himself from taking Link’s small hand in his own to memorize every line, every callous, every scar. Oh, how Sidon had never partaken in such an intense test of willpower. 

Minami was greeted with a warm welcome from her classmates, teachers, and her other caretakers and Sidon was quickly swarmed by young women who hadn’t seen him in over a week because he was caring for a child. 

“My Prince, how are you?”

“You are so good with little Minami!”

“We missed you! The mornings just aren’t the same without you and Minami here!”

“Well it is good to see you all as well!” Sidon smiled. “I’ve been very well. It’s a relief that Nami is feeling better though.”

“I can imagine,” Torfeau nodded. “It must’ve been a handful.”

“Oh it was nothing compared to what Nami had to deal with, I’m sure,” Sidon chuckled. 

“Still,” Midra said, “You’ll get a break since Kodah and Kayden are back!”

The Zora prince looked at the young woman in surprise, feeling his brow furrow, “What?”

Midra gave Sidon a strange look. Evidently the internal panic he felt had seeped through to his expression. She exchanged a glance with Torfeau who said, “Well, since they’re back from their honeymoon and Minami is well again, it’s time for them to take her off your hands...isn’t it?”

Sidon stared at Torfeau with wide eyes and he tried to conceal the fact that he felt his heart break a little. 

Laflat had told him the news yesterday, but hearing the confirmation that this was his last morning dropping his little girl off at school…

...wait… 

“Sidon?” Link’s voice was soft and gentle, but it shook the prince out of his trance nonetheless. Sidon pulled himself together and forced his smile to return as he laughed off his flub. 

“Oh of course! You are very right,” Sidon grinned. “Pardon me, the bustle of the morning clouded my memory for a moment!”

His explanation put the others at ease and he chatted with them until the morning bells began chiming. A strange tightening in his chest kept Sidon in his spot for a moment as he watched the children line up with Laftlat. He kept an eye on little Nami, who really didn’t seem so little when standing with her shorter, mammalian classmates. She had a bright grin spread across her cheeks as she chatted with some of the girls she was standing with and Sidon chuckled to himself when he caught them blushing and pointing timid fingers in his direction. 

He let out a sigh, trying not to be sad thinking about how her laughter wouldn’t be filling his quarters that evening.

Sidon had been so caught up in his own thoughts, that he didn’t notice that Nami was waving at him until he felt a small Hylian hand press against his back. Sidon jumped slightly and looked down at Link who had a knowing smile as he pointed over at Nami. 

“O-oh!” Sidon noted. 

“Go give her a hug,” Link signed, his hands moving quickly. Following his advice, Sidon took a few steps forward, inviting Nami to break away from her class to give him one last hug. 

Nami’s smile only broadened even more as she skipped forward to launch herself into Sidon’s arms. 

“Bye, Sidon,” Nami said, hugging the prince tightly. 

“Goodbye, my sweet minnow,” Sidon said, resting his chin on the top of her head. “You be good now, okay?”

“Okay,” she nodded. “Sidon?”

“Yes?”

Nami wriggled out of Sidon’s arms just enough so she could look the prince in the eye to ask, “Can I stay with you again one day?”

Sidon couldn’t keep from smiling at that, and he answered with a sign of affection that he had only shown to Mipha and his mother. Touching his forehead to Nami’s, a soft purr escaped the back of Sidon’s throat. He looked into the child’s eyes, watching as her pupils dilated and her tail wagged slightly. Smiling, he finally said, “I can only hope that that day isn’t too far off.”

Nami giggled, purring back at Sidon before she broke away to wrap her arms back around him. “I love you, Prince Sidon!”

Sidon squeezed Nami tightly one more time before he sent her off with the rest of her class. He watched as the children marched away chipperly, not realizing that he had yet to rise from his knees before he felt Link lean an elbow against his shoulder. 

“Am I too much of a pushover?” Sidon asked aloud. A confused glance from Link prompted the prince to elaborate, “Muzu thinks I am. At least around Nami.”

Link hummed aloud for a moment, then lifted his hands to answer, “I’d say you’re the right amount of a pushover.”

Sidon broke out into a chuckle at that, shaking his head. “Goodness. Well, I appreciate the honesty.”

Link laughed, offering a hand to help Sidon stand back up. They walked back to the palace, mostly in silence. But as they walked up the stairs, Link finally offered, “It’s what will make you such a good father, you know?”

Sidon stared at Link in surprise by the statement. It wasn’t the first time he had made the remark, but hearing it now left a sour taste in his mouth. “If it’s even possible,” he said darkly. 

“Why do you say that?” Link asked, his brow furrowed as he moved his fingers.

Sidon shrugged. “I just...it’s not that I don’t want kids, you know better than anyone how much I do, I just have no clue how I’m going to.”

“But you’re the prince. You’ll need an heir eventually, won’t you?”

“Yeah,” Sidon nodded through grit teeth. “Stressful, isn’t it?”

When they reached the top of the stairs, Link moved quickly to get in front of the prince, looking up at him suspiciously.

“What’s this about?”

“Uh!” Sidon was caught off guard by the question, his anger with himself dissipating. “Oh, Link, I’m sorry. I just…”

“Sidon,” Link signed, looking up at him with a pointed glare. “Talk to me.”

“Link, please don’t worry about me,” Sidon placed his hands on his hips, feigning a smile. “I’ve just been thinking a lot about the future with having Nami over and all and I just sometimes wonder if...well...you know.”

Sidon hated the way Link looked up at him. He also hated how deep and blue and pure those eyes of his were and he wondered if Link could hear the pounding of his heart. 

“Please,” Link threw his hands haphazardly for emphasis as he signed, “A guy like you is worried about finding someone? Sidon, you’re the best catch there is!”

It took Link a solid minute before he realized that he had not only made a fish pun, but a bad one at that, and if anything gave Sidon more life than bad fish puns it was the way Link flushed crimson all the way up to his ears. 

“S-sorry,” Link cringed. 

Sidon erupted into an uncontrollable fit of giggles, doubling over. Apparently the awkward high-pitched tone of his laughter made Link break out into his own, surprisingly louder laughs and needless to say the two had fallen over in the middle of the palace entrance, evidently finding each other’s uncontrolled noises hilarious. They were eventually found by Princess Zelda, and even when met with her confused gaze, they struggled to pull themselves together. 

“Forgive us, Princess,” Sidon wheezed, “I-it’s just-Link thinks I’m a catch!” 

As he finished his sentence, he pitched forward and cackled. Link smacked his fist against the floor, crying because he was laughing so hard. Zelda simply blinked several times as she watched two of the most respected men in all of Hyrule dissolve into puddles all over again because of a shitty pun. When they had finally pulled themselves together and stood back up, Zelda at least had a bemused expression on her face. 

“Well, it is good to see that you two get along so well as least,” she noted. “Well, in any case, Link will you be ready to leave later this afternoon?”

“Oh,” Link grunted, exchanging a despondent glance with Sidon. “Yes.”

Zelda looked at Link for a moment, her gaze unreadable but a sly smile spread across her lips nonetheless. “Oh my, do you two need more play time together?”

Link gave Zelda a sour look and Sidon patted the Hylian’s back, chuckling, “No, no, Princess, I’ve taken enough valuable time away from you two, it’s alright.”

“Well, I’ll be certain that we return soon enough,” Zelda winked. “I’d like to stop by and visit Vah Ruta one more time before our departure, thought.”

Prince Sidon and Link followed Princess Zelda’s lead to the reservoir, and like every other time he had been in the Divine Beast so far, time passed in a haze and he felt physically and emotionally drained when they finally left. He put on a good front, thankfully, just as he always did, and he saw the Hylians to the stables so they could retrieve their horses and be off. 

By the time Sidon finally returned to the Domain, the bells were chiming and the children were running around the courtyard. 

Per habit, Sidon scanned for Nami, but realized only after the fact that she was not only in his care any more but she had already been picked up for the evening. Sighing, Sidon made his way back to his quarters, sat down at his desk while telling himself that he at least didn’t even have a distraction anymore while he worked. 

….Sidon didn’t like that. 

The ticking of the clock became so overbearing that it started to drive the prince crazy. He set his quill down in its holster stiffly, staring at the parchment before him that was now all lined with his signature. Sidon heaved a sigh and slumped over his desk in boredom, unmoving until his stomach started growling. 

Oh, how Link’s talent had spoiled the prince over the last two weeks. And his teasing made Sidon now subconscious about calling the attendants. Opening the ice box to see if there was anything he could try to cook himself, Sidon was caught off guard when he spotted a neat little box with his name scribbled on the top of it. Plucking the box out of the chest, Sidon inspected it, opening the box to find a wide array of leftovers from this past week that Link had evidently set aside and placed inside the box. Sidon plucked the note card with his name on it off the lid of the box and was surprised to find a message on the other side of it. 

 

_ Sidon -  _

_ Though the days spent without my dear friend at my side can be lonely, I hope that you’ll think of me when you heat up these meals. I know I’ll certainly put my mind at ease when I write down some recipes for you and Nami the next time I visit, as I will think of you.  _

_ Until the next time, my friend,  _

_ Link _

_ P.S. don’t starve yourself with those ameture bachelor meals while I’m gone!  _

Sidon couldn’t keep from smiling to himself when he read Link’s note...until the postscript which caused the prince to snort a little. He spooned a few dumplings into a pot to heat up before putting the box back in the ice chest. Sidon reveled in the delicious aroma that soon filled his quarters as the food heated up, and Link’s note had been right: all he could think about was the little Hylian. 

Oh, how Sidon missed him. It was an alarming thought and getting harder and harder to ignore. What was worse was that as Sidon stepped into his room to take some of his armor and regalia off to relax for the evening, he found a light blue piece of cloth lying on the floor. Puzzled, Sidon stooped forward to pick it up, and realized almost immediately that it was Link’s tunic. 

Sidon froze.

The tunic was so...soft…

Just like Link.

Against his better judgement, or even without thinking in the slightest, Sidon held the tunic up to his face, pressing against the soft fabric. Link had always had a very prominent, implacable but nevertheless warm scent, but Sidon was completely thrown off by how overwhelmed his olfactory sensors were by the soft hints of vanilla mixed in with a campfire and the pungent musk of a Hylian male. The smell alone was enough to throw Sidon back against the wall, bracing himself as he took in the beautiful beautiful aroma, because his knees were too weak to hold their own against the welcomed attack. 

Sidon slid down onto the floor, holding the tunic close as a wave of pleasure racked through the prince’s entire form so suddenly that he nearly frightened himself by the lewd moan that escaped his throat. 

Sidon stiffened and forced himself to look up, holding the tunic away from him. What the  _ hell _ was he doing? 

Tossing the tunic far away, Sidon shot up to his feet, trying hard to ignore the building heat within his body and the images of a shirtless Link in his mind. But when he scooped the dumplings on his plate and sat down to eat, however, Sidon couldn’t take a bite without thinking about how Link set this plate aside  _ specifically for Sidon _ . He couldn’t chew without entertaining the idea of how nice it would be to have Link sitting expectantly beside him, eyes glittering as he watched Sidon take the first bite. 

_ He couldn’t swallow without wondering what would happen if they were in bed together as Sidon-- _

Sidon slammed his chopsticks down, his fins and gills flaring out in a mix between frustration and arousal. 

Never, in all his life, had Sidon ever  _ once _ thought of  _ anyone _ in such capacity. Never in his life had someone’s very scent brought shivers to his spine, never had he even been with someone and thought of what life with them permanently would be like. He had always had his suspicions as to why, but the feeling of Sidon’s fears only being confirmed racked through him more painfully than the still unresolved pleasure.

Not thinking, or at least, not wanting to think, Sidon rose to his feet and stormed out the door. He walked all round the Zora Domain trying and failing to clear his head.  He eventually reached a reservoir and then he dunked his head under an ice cold waterfall, taking deep breaths until his body, and his mind cooled down. 

Unfortunately, Sidon wasn’t prepared for the waves of nausea, guilt, and despair that he felt once he finally did. 

Sidon could remember the very first time he had had such a horrible thought about his future, a thought about the possibility of walking down the aisle to greet his future  _ husband  _ instead of his wife. He could vividly remember looking over at the way Mipha’s eyes lit up as she spoke with a young Hylian that seemed to perfect to be real. He could vividly remember feeling his heart skip a beat as he thought, “ _ Well, at least I don’t feel anything for the one Mipha loves.” _

A low growl left Sidon’s lips and he smacked his fist against the hard rock behind the waterfall. And then again, and again. He punched the wall until his knuckles were raw and then he headbutted the rock with has much force he could muster, letting out a frustrated scream and feeling very thankful that no one was passing by to see their prince have such a meltdown. 

So immersed in both the waterfall and the doom of his own thoughts, Sidon hadn’t even noticed that he started sobbing until he heaved suddenly, losing his composure and sinking to his knees. The weight of the world and every single expectation that he had ever set for himself came crashing on top of him.

Yes, Prince Sidon was a lot of things. He was kind, he was smart, he was intuitive, his foolishness even disguised itself as positivity for his people in the most stressful of times. 

But any love and respect he had earned, Sidon was not deserving of, he realized. As a prince, he could be just about anything his people wanted him to be. 

But as a king? Even for the most basic responsibilities, Sidon could see clearly that he was doomed to fail. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, you guessed it this fic's rating is gonna go up :D


	6. Dorephan's Wisdom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the darkest of days, Sidon knew how to lift up his people.
> 
> But when he was caught in the darkness around him, no one could lift his own spirit the way his father could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey look at me turning what was supposed to be the second half of the last chapter into 10 pages. 
> 
> Got Dad Dorephan go! Make your son feel better!

King Dorephan was a wise king, likely even the wisest of all the Zora in Sidon’s opinion, a diligent leader, and a man that dedicated the most of his time and efforts to his people. 

What many didn’t actually know about the king, however, was that he was also a craftsman, an artist. When the Domain bedded down for the evening, Dorephan could be found in his own quarters huddling his massive form over a trinket or tinker toy of sorts, painting or sculpting or manipulating his latest of personal projects. 

In his childhood, Sidon’s favorite pastime was curling up next to his father with a book, reading while King Dorephan worked away and the occasional huffs and grunts coupled with the one pleased noise that escaped the king’s throat when he figured out a puzzle or liked the direction he decided to take became the beloved soundtrack of Sidon’s early years. In adulthood, however, Sidon regretted to admit that he did not spend near the quality time with his father that he should. He tried to adopt the type of diligence for his people that the king had, and for the most part enjoyed the quiet solitude of huddling over his work and living in the calm of knowing that he was bettering those who looked to him for leadership.

Even so, there were nights when Sidon yearned for his father’s guidance and company, and watching the joy that spread across Dorephan’s face when his son sought him out made Sidon tell himself that he would spend more time with his father. 

And now…

Instincts be damned, Sidon had never experienced a more bitter, gaping hole in his chest than the loneliness he currently felt. He didn’t know how he could heal or even cover up such a wound, but he knew that if anyone had an answer, it was his father.

“Mmm,” King Dorephan hummed as Sidon walked in. The prince thought he had been rather silent with his entrance, and yet his father still picked up on his presence, “What do I owe the pleasure of being visited by my dear son?”

“Good evening, Father,” Sidon greeted, “Am I interrupting you?”

“You could never interrupt me,” Dorephan said warmly. He paused for a moment, then chuckled to himself, “Now, Muzu on the other hand might state otherwise, but he is not here to give his opinion.”

Sidon coughed up a soft laugh at that as he sat down on the ground, facing away from his father but still leaning against the king’s back. It was how they always sat, on those evenings when they weren’t being watched by their people and could unwind and just enjoy themselves and each other’s company: back-to-back with a book in Sidon’s hand and some kind of craft project in Dorephan’s. As a child, Sidon could recall several memories in which his mother and Mipha had joined them, Mipha curled up in a corner somewhere either reading or painting or just enjoying the stillness of her own thoughts and their mother chuckling to herself as she watched her boys in contentment.

 

_ “ _ _ Goodness, you two,” she would tease, “I’ve never known a father and son pair that preferred sitting away from each other while they bonded.” _

_ “Oh, hush, Nerissa” his father would laugh back, “As strange as it may be we have our way and it works just fine.” _

_ His mother let out a bemused snort, her gills flaring slightly as they always did while her long tail swooped from side-to-side behind her. If Sidon ever wondered where he had received what his classmates considered such odd behaviors, all he had to do for reassurance was look to his mother. Hailing from the strongest clan of warriors amongst the Zora, Queen Nerissa had been raised to be highly tuned into her instincts to the point of almost coming off as an animal at points of high emotion. Though helpful on the battle fronts, the resulting mannerisms, especially within a royal court, were often seen as rather quirky amongst the common folk - especially the Hylians that passed through. Nevertheless, the queen carried herself, her instincts, her heritage, and her quirks with so much pride and dignity, and Sidon grew up wanting to be exactly like her down to every grunt, growl, snort, purr, and gill flare.  _

_ And as he grew, he grew to be quite proud to state that such behaviors had become second nature to the point that he hardly noticed them unless they were pointed out to him.  _

_ King Dorephan laughed out loud at the involuntary noise his wife made, his eyes glittering as he watched her give a pointed glare and ask, “What?” _

 

Now, the evenings between father and son were much quieter, often times less lively, and any shark-based noise that Sidon emitted was met with a sad gleam where a cheerful sparkle had once been. He was also without a book this time and he braced his elbows against his knees which were now curled up to his chest. 

“What is it you wish to talk about, my boy?” Dorephan asked, stirring Sidon from his thoughts. The prince looked to his father in slight confusion, to which the king clarified, “You didn’t bring a book with you. Have you nothing to read? I’m sure there’s got to be at least one thing that your eyes haven’t searched through. Well, there has to be, Elder Kenali sent one of his messengers here with copies of old Rito tales and songs for our library in exchange for copies of our own just a month ago. Not even you are quick enough to skim through the entirety of that collection considering how extensive it is!” 

Sidon managed a smile and chuckled at his father’s musings. The old king knew him too well. 

“Ah, there’s that smile,” Dorephan nodded. “So what is troubling you?”

“Ah,” Sidon heaved a long sigh at that, “I’m not sure if I even know where to start, Father. To be frank, I don’t know if I can start.”

“Oh that’s quite alright,” Dorephan said, his voice low and rumbling and oh so comforting. “You take your time, we have the whole evening ahead of us!”

“Thank you, Father,” Sidon leaned his head back against his father. “I really just missed your company. I don’t spend near enough time with you anymore.”

King Dorephan hummed in response, “Well, I’m right here just about every night, Son, you know where to find me!”

“Yes, Father,” Sidon muttered, suddenly feeling very numb.

“But it’s alright that you’re busy, I understand,” Dorephan said and Sidon could just hear the way his father smiled, “The life of a prince can be very strenuous. There’s a lot to live up to and it seems like your entire life is devoted to your people. I was the same way. For me, it wasn’t until Mipha was born that I really took the time to pause and learn how to appreciate and dedicate some time to the smaller, more important aspects to life. Children have a beautifully remarkable way of shifting your perspective.”

Sidon couldn’t so much hear the low snarl that escaped him as he could feel it. He immediately tensed when it came out and he hoped that it escaped even his father’s ears too. 

There was a long, long moment of silence and Sidon thought his father hadn’t heard the reaction. The prince closed his eyes, matching the tempo of his breaths with the king’s and reveling in the calmness of it all. 

The king finally spoke: “Do you know that you imprinted on Mipha when you were a hatchling?”

Sidon’s eyes snapped open and he wondered where the hell the statement was even coming from or why that even needed to be said. 

“I beg your pardon?” Sidon scoffed. 

“Oh yes, it’s true,” Dorephan rumbled on. “You imprinted on her well before you even imprinted on your mother. We think it had to have happened right after you were born because she set you on her lap that evening to read you a story. Your mother was actually a little perturbed that it had happened because whenever you would cry, you would seek out your sister for comfort! Even as a reckless boy skipping rocks by the waterfalls.”

Sidon felt his eyes narrow as he thought on his father’s statements, recalling the countless occasions that he would seek out Mipha for comfort. It was true that he looked to his sister as one of his greatest role models, but he could remember an equal number of times that he turned to his mother…

“Oh don’t worry, you imprinted on your mother as well, and myself,” Dorephan explained. “You two forged such a strong bond. It may have even been a tad stronger than what she and Mipha had. Not for any reason that is bad, of course. There was just...so much that she wanted to teach you. You inherited her nature, her clan’s proud proud history. Shark-based Zora have always been a bit distinguished from mammalian-based Zora, but her family...they were something special. Almost their own species even. They were like the Sheikah are to the Hylians and had such a rich and vibrant culture within the rest of us that dated back to legendary times. But after generations of marrying into other families and trying to ‘blend in’ with everyone, as Nerissa would call it, your mother and her immediate family were all that was left.”

“That’s what the old soldiers all say,” Sidon mused, “They’ve told me countless stories about how even I’m set apart from what’s left of the Shark-based Zora, because they would look to Mother and Grandfather before her for guidance on the battlefield.”

“Yes,” Dorephan nodded, “Her father was quite the wily one. My father trusted him more than his own intuition when it came to leading our people, and we’re better off for it now because of their friendship. Your mother served as a similar rock for me...there is something to be said about the power of our instincts. It’s a shame that our trust in them has dwindled over the ages.”

Sidon felt his lips purse together. “Father, I’m not certain what you are trying to tell me.”

“Oh, who is to say if I am either?” King Dorephan shrugged. “I’m simply thinking back on a time when life was much simpler...when your mother’s eyes were so full of...hope. Oh she looked forward to teaching you everything there was to know about her clan, her history,  _ your _ history, and Mipha’s as well. She always said that if she could only pass on one thing to you, she had hoped it would be that you would trust your instincts above all else, whether it meant fighting for survival or allowing a child to imprint on you.”

Sidon felt his entire being stiffen to the point that even his fins flared and his intended scoff turned into a gruff snort instead. “Father, I know that I should have been more careful--”

“I hear what the people say, Sidon,” Dorephan cut his son off firmly. “I know what they think and I know what the elders feel that they need to say to you. I am the king, am I not? I also know that they mean well in their advice to you, and if you were anyone else - if you were anyone else’s son but your mother’s - I would have told you the same.”

Dorephan paused then, seemingly waiting for Sidon to deliver a comeback of sorts, but the prince was at a loss for words. 

The king continued, “I can’t say that I know the girl, but I did know her parents just as you did. Though we are not good at keeping track of our people’s genealogy (perhaps that could be one of your goals to correct when you take the throne) it was apparent that the family was at the very least descendants of your mother’s clan. They were amongst the most fierce and intuitive Zora that I ever had the pleasure to know, and even just the last several days has shown me that Minami is just the same. She is so very much like you, Sidon; she  _ needs _ someone to imprint on, she  _ needs _ to have the security that someone is there, a parent or not. But if you were anyone else I can guarantee that you wouldn’t have responded to her the way you have, and for that reason alone it needs to be you that she does imprint on if she hasn’t already.”

“Father…” Sidon started, not even sure what to say as he trailed off and lost the words that were on his tongue. 

“What I’m trying to say is,” King Dorephan smiled, “It’s alright. A child that imprints on you doesn’t have to be your own. Imprinting is one of the most basic and fundamental practices that we Zora have. It’s what makes us strong. It’s why we have celebrations when a new hatchling is born and pass the child around for everyone to meet and see. Though it’s ceremonial now, the original intent was so every child born would have a chance to imprint on every adult that could care for them. And you know, Sidon, watching how you dealt with little Minami these past two weeks warmed my heart. I couldn’t be more proud of the man you’ve become, my boy, and I’m even prouder knowing the king and father you’re going to become.”

The more his father spoke, the more Sidon felt his heart tear into two, and to hear what the prince knew to be a lie fall off his own father’s tongue finally broke him down once again. Hot, wet tears fell out of Sidon’s eyes as he covered his face and whimpered, “I am no king, Father.”

“Now, now, my boy, what is this all the sudden?” If Dorephan’s voice could have grown any more soft or anymore gentle, it somehow had. He tried to reach around to place a comforting hand on his son, but Sidon shied away from his touch. 

“I am no king,” Sidon repeated again, crumpling under the pressure. “I don’t deserve it.”

“Sidon,” Dorephan’s voice was firm, though still gentle. “There is no one in all the universe who is more deserving of the throne than you.”

“But Dad--” Sidon heaved, dropping all sense of composure and formalities as he curled into himself. “Dad I’m not--I can’t--I’m not  _ fit _ to be the king! I can’t even--I don’t--I’m… _ something is wrong with me!” _

“Sidon, Sidon, calm down, there is nothing wrong with you,” Dorephan soothed, trying to give his son comfort again. This time, Sidon didn’t flinch away but instead leaned against his father’s hand like a lifeline while he sobbed. What was he supposed to say? How could he even say it? Of all the Zora in the land, it had to be  _ him _ that this was happening to? 

King Dorephan patted his son’s back, letting the boy cry while he took deep and methodical breaths, the occasional moan or wheeze hissing out of his gills and throat due to age. Finally, he clicked his tongue together and spoke when he thought his son was ready to listen: “You know, Sidon...your sister as the eldest was originally meant to become the queen.”

“I know that!” Sidon snapped back, hastily trying to wipe his eyes dry as if the task were even a possible thing to do. 

“And she gave her heart to a Hylian,” Dorephan stated simply. Sidon felt his entire body stiffen in discomfort. That was the last thing he needed to be reminded of. 

Link was the last thing he needed to be reminded of. 

His betrayal of Mipha’s memory and feelings was the last thing he needed to be reminded of. 

“What I mean by that is,” Dorephan continued, “Now, as much as I love the boy and wish he could’ve been part of our family - and still would like to welcome him in, mind you - Zora and Hylians are of two very different peoples. There’s no way she could have conceived a natural born heir with him, even if they had courted and he had taken her hand in marriage.”

Every word slipped off of his father’s tongue and hit Sidon upside the head like acid. It ate away at his flesh and burned right through his skull. He didn’t quite understand why such obvious facts were being thrown in his direction for reasons other than to torment him, even if his father didn’t know how deep a hole the prince had dug himself. 

“Sidon,” Dorephan chided, poking his son in a teasing manner, much like he had when Sidon was a child, “I know you. I know you better than even my own kingdom. If anyone is more fit to be a king than you then they must be a deity of sorts. And also, staying within bloodlines is such an outdated practice and so rarely used anymore, what does it matter if your heir isn’t biologically related to you as long as they are raised with the nurture and care and love that I know you are capable of?”

“Father what in the name of Goddess Lanayru are you even saying?” Sidon croaked, feeling too emotionally drained to even partake in the mental gymnastics his father was trying to put him through.

“Stop torturing yourself and trying to muscle through the hoards of women that are shamelessly throwing themselves at you! You’re smart, you’re handsome, hell you’re royalty! Go out there and find yourself a man that is going to treat you right and be a good father to your children, Sidon!” Dorephan snapped finally, his voice booming like a thunder clap to the point that even Sidon had to shy away from the way his father spoke, his piercing golden eyes glaring down at him. The air slipped right out of Sidon’s gills and he stared up at the king in shock.

“F-father,” Sidon gasped in disbelief. 

“Don’t play your old man like a fool, Sidon,” Dorephan grumbled, returning to the music box he had been fiddling with all night, “Going on about as if something is wrong with you,  _ please _ . If anything is wrong it would be that no boy has snatched you up yet as his own. I would have thought that the last two weeks with little Minami at your side would have at least piqued  _ someone’s _ interest, for heaven’s sake.”

It was taking several minutes for Sidon to process what was happening, but he couldn’t stop the smile that was spreading across his features, “Father, please be serious now--”

“Oh I am perfectly serious!” Dorephan roared, his arms flailing about overdramatically, “Honestly, Sidon, what is it going to take for me, in my old age, to finally see my son in love and happy with himself? You can prance around all day long with your endless positivity but--what, am I going to have to throw you an entire  _ ball _ just for you to meet someone? Make like the fairytales you and Mipha used to read?”

“Father, I highly doubt that other kingdoms would be open to the idea of hosting a ball just so your  _ gay son _ can meet potential suitors, much less our own  _ people _ !”

“Well, they should be!” Dorephan snorted. “There used to be no issue with it until the Great Calamity happened. So few of my generation survived and yet only a century has passed and suddenly everyone is so pent up about having ‘nuclear families’ and ‘traditional marriages’, and shark-based zora are suddenly strange and different but  _ nooo _ , no one wants to listen to the hold man in the fancy chair when he says that such a mind set it ridiculous!” 

“Father,” Sidon chuckled. He didn’t know what to say. “I appreciate your enthusiasm.”

Dorephan heaved a sigh, forcing himself to calm down from his high horse. “What I’m trying to get at is that I truly want you to believe me when I say that you are more than worthy of the throne, but most of all you are worthy of love and happiness. Why listen to the voices of those who don’t know better when you could listen to the voice of your father, the king?”

Dipping his head downwards, Sidon allowed a few stray tears to fall as he smiled, “Thanks, Dad…”

“I love it when you drop the formalities, my son,” Dorephan smiled warmly. “It reminds me of when you were young. When I was young!”

“Father, you are young enough,” Sidon grinned, his body shaking from his laughter.

“Oh you flatter me too much, my boy,” Dorephan grunted. “But do you understand what I am trying to say?”

“Yes, Father, thank you,” Sidon relaxed slightly. Well, at least one crisis was resolved. The other..

“So,” Dorephan’s voice sounded quite chipper, “If I may be so bold as to ask...who exactly has stolen my son’s heart in such a manner that he came in so distressed?”

“Oh, Father,” Sidon heaved a sigh, feeling the gaping tender hole start to open up all over again. “It’s too painful to admit.”

“Mmm,” Dorephan nodded, and Sidon could feel the air brush against the top of his head as his father’s tail wagged slightly. “Well, you know my thoughts on all this with all my ramblings. I just want for you to have happiness. You tell me as much or as little as you need to, but I hope you know that all is safe with your old father.”

“Thank you,” Sidon heaved. “It does mean a lot. At least for this evening, I think I’m spent on my thoughts and emotions.”

“That’s quite alright, my boy. You seem exhausted,” Dorephan also noted. “Why don’t you try to get some rest.”

“Okay,” Sidon nodded, forcing himself to rise to his feet. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, Sidon, with all my heart,” Dorephan said softly. Sidon had to admit, his father always knew how to reassure him and make him feel better, no matter what the occasion. 

Prince Sidon felt so incredibly lucky to have a father as kind and as wise as King Dorephan. 

“Oh, but Sidon,” Dorephan stopped his son.

“Yes?”

“Minami is such a good girl,” Dorephan said, looking at Sidon with a twinkle in his eye that the prince hadn’t seen in years. 

Sidon couldn’t help but smile at that, “She certainly is, Father.”

“That child brings about a joyous smile that I haven’t seen on your expression since you yourself were a child,” Dorephan pointed out. 

“She is like the sun,” Sidon agreed, smiling to himself. “This evening hasn’t been the same without her.”

“She’d make a remarkable princess as well.”

Sidon nearly doubled over coughing out of sheer and blatant surprise. 

“I-what!?” Sidon spat, his tail lifting up and sticking straight out behind him in surprise. “I beg your pardon, father!?”

Dorephan was silent for a long moment, his eyes twinkling as he continued to turn one of the gears in the music box while staring straight into his son’s very being. A bemused smile traced his lips, “It was just a thought.”

“Yes, but why?” Sidon’s smile had fallen into a scowl. 

King Dorephan simply lifted his eyebrows with his chin ever so slightly as he finally looked back down at the music box, making a series of noncommittal grunts, “Oh, hmm, well, that’s for you to decide, my dear boy.”

“Father--”

“I’m just saying,” Dorephan shrugged, waving his hand - and the music box within it - animatedly. “I mean, you’ve been worried about producing an heir and you have a perfect opportunity.”

“Father I can’t raise a child by myself,” Sidon scratched his head in disbelief that the conversation was even heading this direction. “I barely made it through three days with her until Link came around to help me out!"

Sidon watched as his father made a series of indistinguishable grumbles and the prince was afraid to pick out the words he could hear and piece them into sentences. 

The first statement that he could actually pick out, however, was an indignant, “Goodness me, I’m not suggesting you come in and sweep her off her feet  _ now _ . Give yourself time! Take her in more often! I’ll have you know that I’ve missed having little ones running around the palace and that girl deserves to feel like royalty once in a while, especially if it helps ease her into it!”

“Father!”

“I am just  _ saying _ ,” Dorephan insisted, not even trying to fight back his laughter. “Now go get some sleep, my boy.”

Sidon tried to pretend he was annoyed over the overwhelming relief he was suddenly feeling. “Alright. Goodnight, Father.”

“Goodnight, Sidon,” Dorephan smiled warmly. “Get some rest.”

Sidon smiled back at his father, turning away to leave for real this time.

“Oh! And give my granddaughter a hug from me when you see her next!”

“ _ DAD!!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...literally Dorephan knows what's up.


	7. Like Like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months have past since Sidon's revelation, and he and Nami only continue to grow closer.
> 
> And yet, somehow, the positivity shark is still conflicted...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a long one and it's pure fluff I have no regerts. 
> 
> Also, I have gotten a lot of messages on tumblr and comments on here today and I am so sorry that I haven't responded to anyone! I promise I am not ignoring any of you I am just knee deep in preparing for my last exam of undergrad (university) so I just haven't been able to sit down and respond or talk to any lovely peeps! Just know that I'm not ignoring anyone! I can only focus on so much!! TTATT

“Tumbo got in trouble today so he couldn’t play with me at recess,” Nami mused, though Sidon could still feel her tail beating against his own as it wagged. “But it was really funny because he played a prank on Jeori. He put a frog in her lunch box so when she opened it, the frog jumped out and hopped into her lap!”

The child broke out into a high pitched squeal, she was laughing so hard at her recounting of the tale. Sidon chuckled to himself and shook his head, walking carefully as he balanced the girl on his shoulders, holding her ankles securely. He kept his tail to one side against his shoulder so Nami could swing her legs around either side of his neck. “Oh goodness, was the frog at least alright?”

“Yeah, I took it back out to the pond where Tumbo and I found it,” Nami said, her giggles subsiding slightly.

“Ah,” Sidon nodded, “Don’t you think that was a bit of a mean prank for Tumbo to pull though?”

“Yeah but,” Nami paused, letting out a soft groan as she rested her chin on the top of the prince’s head. “Jeori is really mean to me sometimes and pulls on my tail and makes fun of how tall I am when Laflat isn’t looking. She pushed me this morning in the courtyard and I scraped my knee, so Tumbo got mad and pranked her.”

Sidon frowned at that, he glanced to the side at her knee which had been covered in bandages when he picked her up, but he had been told that the child simply tripped. “Have you told Laflat about any of this?”

“No,” Nami huffed. “Well, I told her once but then everyone in the class started calling me a tattle tale.”

They trotted up a set of stairs and were greeted by several Zora and it was a fight to keep a pleasant expression. He didn’t like the sound of hearing that his little girl was being bullied and teased. 

Wait…

Um. He didn’t like hearing that any child was being teased and bullied. And in this case, Nami.

He felt a small hand pat his head, “It’s okay.”

Sidon snapped back to reality and blinked several times in confusion, “Hm?”

“It doesn’t bother me,” Nami said. “Sometimes it does, but Tumbo and my other friends stand up for me. Besides, people don’t pick on me as much anymore.”

“Oh really?” Sidon questioned. “What changed that?”

Nami giggled, patting her little hands against his head, “Since you started taking care of me, silly!”

That caught Sidon by surprise, “Oh! But...what do I have to do with all that?”

Nami giggled, her little feet kicking slightly, “Because! Everyone used to tease me because I didn’t have any parents that would protect me, but now I have the prince to protect me like a daddy would!” 

Sidon wasn’t sure if his heart was sinking or melting by the statement. Either way, that little girl had been making him feel a surprising mix of strength and nausea over the last several months. In the hype of his father’s approval (and outright pushing) for Sidon to look after Minami more, he didn’t just become a regular caretaker for Nami, he had her every other week at this point and the only reason he didn’t watch her full time was because he was neither her father nor foster father. 

He had been silently debating whether or not to give into all of his father’s insistence and just take her in as his own, but the thought of raising a child completely by himself, especially when he couldn’t even resolve his unrequited feelings for one Link (that was very overdue for a visit if Sidon might add) terrified him. Even worse was that she was already showing signs of being a hopeless romantic considering the number of times she had come home gushing about a boy in her class that shared his snacks with her. How was he supposed to give her fatherly advice about that when all he did was just sit back, mope, and cuddle a damn tunic because he couldn’t even manage to write a letter!? 

But really, that was only a very minor thing that was holding the prince back. 

If anything, the thing that really held him back and gave him anxiety was the fact that he was the prince.

It was funny, Sidon thought to himself, a mere six months ago he was convinced that he would be incapable of producing an heir because the only individuals in all of Hyrule that he ever found himself remotely attracted to were men. And then he fell head over heels for a man that wasn’t even a Zora. 

And now, Sidon was anxious about taking in a child because that would make her an heir by default. 

Sidon heaved a sigh, he knew what her answer would be if he asked if she wanted to be his family. He knew she would  _ love _ being in the spotlight as a princess of the Domain, and he knew she deserved every ounce of that attention as well. No, what worried Sidon was throwing all of the responsibility that comes with being a princess at the child without her even realizing how involved it was. 

King Dorephan and Muzu had both laughed Sidon’s concerns off, arguing that a child born into the royal family didn’t know the responsibility that came with being a prince or princess in the spotlight and were thrust into the situation just as much as Nami would be. Sidon, however, saw the problem differently. He had never known anything different. Mipha hadn’t known anything different. 

Nami did. 

Something that had been so second nature to Sidon and his sister could potentially be an entire culture shock for a little girl like her. 

Even thinking back to how Sidon had to change his frame of mind when he realized he was actually going to take Mipha’s place as king after her death had been an incredible shock, he couldn’t even imagine going from having nothing, not even parents, to suddenly inheriting an entire  _ throne _ and an entire  _ legacy _ .

In short, if Sidon were to truly be honest with himself, any time Nami made any mention of feeling a paternal connection with him, he couldn’t help but feel really really guilty because he  _ still _ didn’t know what to do.

When they reached his quarters, Sidon finally set the child down and she ran straight to the back door which opened up to a small deck and the mountainside. It had become a small tradition that they would go hunting at the start of Nami’s visit. Sidon had been trying to become a little more well-versed in good meal recipes and so far he had figured out how to cook a fish in various different ways. Granted, Nami wasn’t nearly as excited about dinner as she had been when Link was with them during that first visit, but she enjoyed it better than having attendants bring food if for little more reason than having the experience of meal preparation. 

Nevertheless, one thing she loved was going on a hunt, and Sidon had learned quickly that Nami was exceptional in the water. Her light blue scales blended in so well, even amongst other Zora, that the first time they had gone out he turned his head and had a panic attack because he couldn’t see her, even with his finely tuned Zora eyes. Since, Sidon had learned how to distinguish the way her scales shimmered when the light bounced off them compared to her surroundings, and even then it took a great deal of concentration. 

“Nami, dear, don’t run off without me,” Sidon chided, trying to follow closely behind despite how surprisingly fast her little legs could take her. “Minami!”

If Nami heard Sidon, she gave no indication as she dove in head first into the river that led to the east lake reservoir that the Zora used as a hunting ground for the children to practice. Sidon dove in after her and it was a full ten minutes of swimming up and down before he finally caught onto the child’s bright golden eyes and white belly that only slightly contrasted against the water. 

Nami was a graceful swimmer, and Sidon could already see her potential to outclass even him in speed one day. But for now, it took little effort for Sidon to scoop her into his arms and pull her to the surface so he could lecture, “Minami! I told you, you must wait for me if you go out hunting.”

“Oh,” Nami’s expression fell, “I’m sorry!”

“It’s alright,” Sidon sighed, “You just gave me a fright is all. It’s remarkable how well you camouflage in the water. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Nami’s small smile returned, “Is that a good thing?”

“I’d say it’s a very good thing,” Sidon nuzzled the little girl gently, “Except for when I’m trying to find you, Little Minnow! Now stay close to me, do you hear?”

“Yes Prince Sidon,” Nami giggled. Sidon smiled at the little girl and teasingly and poked a finger at one of the barbels that protruded from her forehead. He immediately regretted the action, however, when Nami recoiled from his hand and let out a surprised yelp.

“Oh! Sorry, dear!” Sidon drew his hand back, “I forgot!”

Two barbels hung from the front of Nami’s head; they had grown from small nubs that Sidon hadn’t even noticed when he first met her to long, flexible protrusions that framed her face beautifully. They had also discovered that the barbels were incredibly sensitive; at first it brought Sidon great worry as they even hurt to touch at times and he had never known a Zora with barbels so sensitive before. The elders seemed to think that this was normal for some, however, and it was confirmed on their last hunting excursion when Nami had figured out how to use them to better sense her surroundings. The girl was simply incredible, Sidon thought more often than not, it was no wonder she hailed from a family of skilled soldiers and hunters. 

He just wished he knew how he could teach her to harness the full extent of her capabilities instead of just clumsily stumbling upon even the smallest of things like the way she would grow and develop and discovering with her what should be second nature that she could prepare for.

“It’s okay,” Nami squinted, rubbing her head a little to make the shock ebb away and disctracting Sidon from his thoughts.

“I really am sorry,” Sidon cooed, feeling guilty for such a silly lapse in judgement.

“I’m okay!” Nami insisted again, squirming in his arms. “Let’s go swim!”

“Alright,” Sidon chuckled, releasing her, “Now stay close to me, sweet thing.”

“Okay,” Nami nodded before diving back into the water. Sidon followed her down to the depths. He helped her locate a school of larger fish. Actually, if anything, Nami zeroed in on the largest fish in the group before Sidon had caught sight of the others around it. She rode on his back as he swooped forward to effortlessly catch the fish in his mouth, and then directed her so she could swim forward and catch her own. It took a few trials, but (after Sidon secretly guided the fish closer to Nami) she eventually snapped on in her own jaw before they breached the surface again. They placed the fish in a small net that Sidon had brought with them before diving again. And then again. And again until Nami had tired herself out with her zealousness. 

Sidon slung the net over his shoulder and towed it behind him as they swam up stream. With her smaller limbs, Nami tired out quickly and gripped hold of Sidon’s back to recover. As they got closer to the domain, the depths of the river decreased and Sidon had to breach the surface to keep his pace. As they covered even more distance, Sidon and Nami saw the first signs of Zora settlements on the furthest reaches of the Domain. 

Despite the horrors of the Great Calamity, the Zora had been prosperous ever since they recovered from their tragedy. The fruit of that success lied in the fact that many families had moved out to smaller village settlements, thus allowing the kingdom to expand their territory. One such settlement was just off the banks of the river, and once he peered over the water, Sidon could see young families in the shallow waters, fathers with their children returning home with their evening catch and mothers with their younger hatchlings as they were introduced to the wonders of the water and its currents. 

“Woah,” Nami said, wriggling on Sidon’s back. “The sunset is so pretty.”

“Indeed it is,” Sidon mused, watching as a young mother held the hands of her crying hatchling, trying to wade it into the water. He felt a slight tugging on the net as Nami slid off his back. “Hey! Nami, stay close now, the current could wash you away!”

“I’m okay!” Nami insisted, pulling against the net. 

“What exactly are you doing?” Sidon asked. Nami didn’t answer but instead pulled one of the smaller fish out of the nets and swimming towards the shore. “Nami!”

Sidon swam after her, coming up on the floor and having to pull the net up against his side as he stood up and walked the rest of the way after Nami who evidently was on a mission. Nami finally stood up and when she did, she was holding the fish in her arms and marching straight towards the mother and her hatchling.

“O-oh! Hello there,” the Zora woman looked a little startled to see the girl. “Which settlement are you from? Where are your parents?”

“She would be my responsibility, ma’am!” Sidon called out apologetically, “Minami, come here!”

“Prince Sidon!” the woman jumped, standing up so straight she lifted her child off of his feet for but a moment before she stooped forward in a deep bow. “Wh-what an honor to meet you!”

“And what an honor it is to meet you as well,” Sidon grinned, nodding his head in return. “Forgive us, we were just returning from the east reservoir.”

“Oh of course!” she nodded. “My husband is hoping to take this little one there in the coming months but he isn’t the biggest fan of water right now.”

“A Zora disliking the water?” Sidon chuckled, smiling down at the little hatchling, “My dear boy, there is nothing to fear! Water and air are one in the same for us!”

The hatchling stared tearfully up at Sidon for but a moment before he started crying out again. The mother looked down at him and sighed simply, saying, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell him, but nothing seems to be working right now.”

At that, Nami took several steps forward towards the little hatchling, startling him slightly as he let out a confused whimper before stomping furiously in the water. Nami, apparently with a plan and a determined expression, outstretched her arms and offered him the fish.

The hatchling in return, ceased his tears but stared down at the gift. 

“It’s food, see?” Nami said, smiling. “You know, like what your parents make?”

The hatchling let go of his mother with one hand, babbling as he waved it towards the fish.  As he drew close, Nami squatted down and placed the fish in the water. She looked up at the hatchling and said, “They live in the water and you can hunt for them there, see?”

“Nami,” Sidon said, slightly confused. “Come now, it’s getting late.”

“Just a second!” Nami whined back before returning her attention to the hatchling. “See? The water isn’t scary. You just gotta reach in to grab the fish!”

The hatchling stared in wonder at the fish in Nami’s grasp, making a few confused babbles and coos before he hesitantly stooped down to reach his hand in the water and touch the fish.

“See? You’ve got it!” Nami grinned. “You can have it if you want. It’s your first catch for your family!”

The hatchling broke out into a set of excited squeals at that, and Sidon and the mother exchanged bewildered looks. 

The mother’s bewilderment turned into a bright smile. “My goodness, Princess, you certainly have a way with your people! I haven’t been able to get this little guy to do that before! Thank you!”

Nami’s form stiffened as she looked up at the woman in slight confusion, her eyes wide. 

Sidon felt something inside him snap in half.

...Princess!?

“Uh,” Sidon grunted unprofessionally.

“Forgive me, Prince Sidon,” the woman bowed. “Had I known that you had had a child my husband and I would have sent you and your wife congratulations! Your daughter is so well mannered though, she’ll be a great leader just like her father!”

“Uh,” Sidon coughed again. “Oh, pardon me, ma’am! I-I’m not married!” 

“Oh!” the woman looked even more surprised. She looked to Nami with confusion, at a loss for words. 

“Miss Minami is under my care but I regret to say that she and I have no biological relation,” Sidon tried to explain, forcing a smile. It pained him to admit that he could not call her his daughter. 

“Ohhh,” the woman nodded, kneeling down and ran an affectionate hand across Nami’s head. “Are you the little one that lost her parents to Vah Ruta all those years ago? I am so sorry, sweetheart.”

“That’s okay,” Nami swayed back and forth. “Prince Sidon takes good care of me. And I don’t mind being called a princess.”

The woman laughed at Nami’s statement and Sidon tried to ignore the way Nami looked up at him with a coy smile as she spoke. 

Nevertheless, Sidon couldn’t help but say, “Minami is, as you said, a remarkable young Zora that will make her people proud, wouldn’t you say?”

“Oh, yes, I agree,” the woman nodded. “Now, Kito, do you want to take the princess’s gift inside to make dinner?”

The hatchling looked up to his mother and cheered, “Yah!!” 

With that, they bid the pair goodbye and Sidon couldn’t bring himself to say too much the rest of the way back to his quarters. 

She had referred to Nami as a princess not once, but twice.

And he hadn’t been able to correct her.

On his back, he heard Nami giggle, “she called me a princess.”

“Indeed she did,” Sidon noted. “But you know, Minami, if you were to become a princess you would have much responsibility.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Nami mused. “It’d be really cool. I’d get to play with all the littler kids, and learn a bunch of stuff about the Zora and the whole world. I’d get to see Princess Zelda more and Link more too and then do all the stuff that you do!”

“You would enjoy that?” Sidon asked.

“Yeah!” Nami cheered. 

Sidon bit back a smile at that, feeling a little more certain of himself. 

“But the best part,” Nami started again as they reached a calmer part of the waters just near the main docks of the Domain, “I think-I think the best part would be that I could be with you all the time! And you’d protect me like daddies do but it would be for all the time! And then we could go hunting and fishing more too!”

“Yeah?” Sidon asked, feeling a twinge in his heart as he stood up out of the water. He set the child on the ground and then secured the net better along his side before they climbed the small hill up to the deck and the back entrance of his quarters. 

Nami took hold of Sidon’s hand, skipping as she cheered, “Yeah!”

The air he breathed in suddenly got trapped, and if it hadn’t been for Minami’s short attention span and immediately switching the conversation over to her school day once they got inside and placed the fish in the ice chest, Sidon would have definitely broken down and seriously (and likely tearfully) asked Nami if she was actually willing to become his daughter and inherit the throne one day. 

But alas, her sharp turn towards the gossip of elementary aged children gave Sidon a chance to regain his composure. “...and-and then Miki shared his crayons with me and we played during all of recess together! He’s sooooo nice!”

“Is that so?” Sidon asked, shaking his head at how boy-crazy the child could be. It was downright adorable now, but he was slowly starting to dread how the attitude would manifest in her teenage years. “Now, tell me, isn’t Miki in that little group of friends that hangs with Jeori?”

“Yeah,” Nami said, pouting slightly.

Sidon felt his eyes squint. “I thought those kids were mean to you.”

“Yeah, that’s what Tumbo said,” Nami huffed. “He doesn’t like Miki at all.”

“It sounds like Tumbo has a protective head on his shoulders,” Sidon noted. “I’m glad he looks out for you the way he does.”

“Yeah,” Nami’s smile returned. “He’s my best friend!”

“Oh?” Sidon took a break from what he was doing and sat down at the table with Nami. A sly smile on his face, “You know, Minami, with all of these boys that catch your interest, why haven’t I heard anything about you and Tumbo? Especially since you both are so close.”

Sidon couldn’t fight back his laughter at the way Nami’s face contorted and she groaned, “Ewwww nooooo! Tumbo’s just my friend!”

“What if he liked you?” Sidon prodded, unable to contain his smile as he watched her squirm.

“That’s never gonna happen!” Nami shook her head fervently.

“And why not?”

“Because!” 

The sharpness in Minami’s tone caught Sidon off guard and he sat up, folding his arms. “Nami? I was only teasing--”

“Tumbo won’t ever like like me,” Nami glared at Sidon fiercely. “And that’s okay because he’s just my friend!”

“Okay,” Sidon said. “I was just curious.”

“Okay,” Nami said suspiciously, watching him with malice as he rose back to his feet to check on dinner. 

“Nami,” Sidon couldn’t keep himself from asking, “Is...something going on with you and Tumbo?”

“No,” Nami said stiffly.

Sidon hummed in response, not buying it but still focusing his attention on the meat that he was scooting around haphazardly in the pan, trying to get it to cook evenly.

Goodness, Link made it all look so easy, what with his sparkling eyes and vibrant smile, the way his muscles flexed as he lifted the pan and--

Sidon stopped his thoughts right in their tracks, forcing himself to think of anything but the Hylian. 

Nami didn’t really make it any easier: “Prince Sidon? How come you aren’t married?”

Sidon bit the inside of his lip so hard that he drew blood, but still forced himself to answer, “I simply haven’t met the right person yet.”

“Will you?”

“I certainly hope so,” Sidon sighed. “I really do…”

“Do you like like anyone?”

“Nami,” Sidon turned around, giving the girl a firm stare. She simply shrugged innocently.

“What?” she asked. “I just wanna know. All the girls in the Domain seem to like like you. And Kiara said her parents are always wondering why you haven’t courted anyone before, and I wonder sometimes too. Especially since you’re so popular and handsome.”

“You think I’m handsome?” Sidon asked teasingly.

Nami’s face flushed crimson, “So why haven’t you courted before!?”

“Well,” Sidon heaved a sigh, trying to find the right words to say to a child. Regardless of how much his father tried to reassure him, sexuality wasn’t necessarily something that their people were...comfortable with discussing, and prince or not Sidon certainly wasn’t comfortable with being the one to start that conversation. He definitely didn’t want to hear any confirmation that his own people would have an aversion to the way he was. “It’s just...never felt right.”

“Oh,” Nami was quiet in her response, seemingly not satisfied with what he had told her. They ate dinner in silence and it wasn’t until Sidon was clearing the table that Nami offered, “Kiara thinks Tumbo and I need to date.”

“I would argue that you are much too young for dating and that you have your whole life ahead of you,” Sidon responded. “But I would understand why you might have feelings for each other. Any man would be lucky to call you his own one day and Tumbo is a very kind boy--”

“Tumbo likes boys,” Nami blurted out suddenly. Sidon stopped what he was doing and turned to face the child. She was staring up at him with wide and frightened eyes, her whole face was redder than his own scales. “H-he told me after school once. He got a crush on one of the boys in the older class, I think it’s someone that his brother is friends with, and-and he told me not to tell anyone because they’d get mad at him but…”

“Minami,” Sidon said gently, immediately taking a seat. “That is alright. Tumbo is free to love who he chooses.”

The child almost instantly relaxed, “Really?”

“Of course,” Sidon answered. “I can imagine, however, that Tumbo must feel really anxious about this revelation, is that right?”

Nami didn’t say anything but she nodded her head, slumping in her seat sadly. “It really bothers him when Kiara teases him about liking me…”

“I can understand that,” Sidon leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. Ohhh goddess above he was not prepared for this conversation. “It can be a hard thing to learn about yourself, especially when some of the adults are openly concerned about the very idea.”

Nami looked down sadly, nodding her head in agreement.

“How long ago did he tell you?”

“A while ago,” Nami whimpered, rubbing her forearm over her eyes. “He’s been really scared…”

“Hey now,” Sidon said gently, “There is nothing to be worried about. I understand why Tumbo would have a lot of fears and stress right now, but he is very lucky, and do you know why?”

“Why?” Nami asked.

“Because he has a friend like you to lean on when he needs it,”  he explained. “He will be just fine, and if it helps him then you can tell him that his feelings for other boys - that’s all fine with me. Love is love, Minami, and it’s a beautiful thing.”

Nami nodded her head, managing a small smile, “Mmkay.”

“Good girl,” Sidon said, leaning forward to press his forehead to hers. “Now, you have homework to do, don’t you?”

Nami nodded her head as she allowed Sidon to wipe a stray tear off her cheek. 

It was well into the evening when Sidon noticed the sick pang that settled in his chest. Nami had been humming to herself as she worked on her school work while Sidon skimmed through some papers his father had asked him to sign off on. He had left Nami for a period so he could sit and speak with his father and then returned with the news that the two of them would be dining with King Dorephan the next couple of evenings. Sidon couldn’t have been more relieved because he had been once again caught up in his duties and was starting to sorely miss quality time with his dad (and also this now meant he didn’t have to cook). When he had sat back down at his desk, Sidon caught a glimpse of a light shade of blue resting on the sofa.

Link’s tunic…

The Hylian hadn’t been to the Domain for a visit in what felt like ages and while Sidon knew that it wasn’t without good reason, the prince still couldn’t say that he wasn’t getting uncontrollably restless. 

The tunic was starting to smell less like Link and more like Sidon himself, he had been sleeping on the couch with it buried in his face so often. 

Even just thinking about inhaling Link’s scent was starting to send chills and shivers down the Zora’s spine. 

Sidon cleared his throat loudly, more to quiet his own thoughts than anything else, but he still brought Nami to attention as she looked up from her seat at the table. 

“Oh, pardon me,” Sidon faked a cough, “I just had a lump in my throat is all.”

“Okay,” Nami said. She stretched her arms upward and yawned before she hopped out of her chair and sauntered over to Sidon, holding her hands out, “Can I sit with you?”

“Did you finish your homework?” Sidon asked. With an affirmative nod, Sidon lifted her onto his lap and the girl instinctively curled up in his arm, resting her head on his chest as she heaved a content sigh. Sidon worked in silence for a few more moments before the pang became too much to bear and he found himself asking, “Nami?”

“Hmm?” Nami groaned, her eyes fluttering open.

“May I share something with you?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

Sidon heaved a sigh, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, “There’s another reason why I haven’t courted anyone before.”

This statement really seemed to perk Nami up as she wriggled slightly in Sidon’s grasp, sounding more awake as she asked, “What’s that?”

“Well, you see,” Sidon began. “I’m a lot like Tumbo.”

Sidon paused, watching confusion ripple across the girl’s golden eyes. Taking another breath, Sidon admitted, “I like boys too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Sidon doesn't think this is going to lead to Nami and Dorephan getting "I love my gay son/dad" then he is sorely mistaken.
> 
> Also get ready because Nami is going to ship Sidlink harder than any of us.


	8. Summer Market

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 2 in the morning and I have no regrets. 
> 
> Also it's occurring to me that I write to different versions of Dorephan and Sidon. There's the version that everyone sees, and then there's the version that happens when the two drop every single wall completely because they're just snarking at each other senselessly.

Sidon held his breath as Nami stared up at him with wide eyes. She stood up on his lap and placed her hands on his chest, her mouth agape. 

“Nami,” Sidon huffed nervously, “I-if I make you uncomfortable with this, I apologize. I...I wanted to be honest with you--”

“I’m going to have two dads,” Nami stated, completely interrupting the prince. Her eyes were wider than the moon and her voice was low, as if the realization was a shock to her system.

“I--” Sidon sputtered, “Pardon?”

The gaping mouth slowly upturned into a smile and Nami’s eyes lighting up with wonder. She said a little louder, “I’m going to have two dads!”

“Uh,” Sidon grunted. This was a surprise. “I certainly hope that’s the case one day.”

Nami leaped out of Sidon’s lap, falling backwards as she splattered onto the floor. Sidon lunged forward in a panic, frightened that she had hurt herself but Minami launched back onto her feet and screamed, “I’M GONNA HAVE TWO DAAAAAAADS!!”

With the speed of a hurricane, the child sprinted out of Sidon’s quarters hollering and cheering and it took a full two minutes for Sidon to compute what was even happening before he realized that he had let his child loose in the domain screaming about how gay he was. 

“NAMI NO!” Sidon screamed, bolting out the door after her. Apparently, instead of running loose through the domain, she had just made a beeline for the palace cheering. He skidded into the throne room where his father was evidently up late with Muzu, working on something. Nami had also slid to a stop, this time to catch her breath and Sidon had been able to nab her.

“Goodness, you two, what is the matter?” King Dorephan inquired, his eyes twinkling. 

“Pardon, me, father,” Sidon huffed, trying to catch his breath as Nami fought his grasp, “Miss Nami got excited...about something…”

Nami kicked and flailed, grunting and crying out before she suddenly gave up, lifted her head and cheered, “I’M GONNA HAVE TWO DADS!”

“I say, miss Minami, what in the blazes are you speaking about?” Muzu scoffed. 

King Dorephan, on the other hand, let out a hearty laugh, “Sidon, you didn’t tell me that you were giving your sapphire away already!”

“I’m not, Father,” Sidon growled. Dorephan’s smile fell. 

“Oh,” he pouted. “And here I thought I was going to find out who mystery man was.”

“My liege, what on earth are you three talking about?” Muzu asked, eyeing Sidon skeptically. The prince felt his entire back stiffen uncomfortably. 

“My son is as gay as you prophesied, Muzu, that’s what,” Dorephan announced, ignoring the distressed roar that had escaped the back of his son’s throat. “But he still won’t tell me who the lucky soul is that stole his heart and has had him moping for the last half year.”

“DAD!” Sidon roared. “Could you  _ please _ not speak like that about me!”

“What?” Dorephan shrugged. “You’re in safe company here, my boy. It’s not like I’m going to climb to the roof tops and proclaim that my son is gay and single and oh by the way he’s perfect fatherhood material.”

“You were ready to throw an entire ball just to announce that to even the Goddesses,” Sidon snapped, narrowing his eyes.

“I meant it as a joke!”

“I highly doubt you meant it as a joke, sire,” Muzu retorted. 

“Thank you Muzu,” Sidon groaned while Dorephan shot the elder a firm glare. 

“But honestly, My Prince, if you keep staring off into space and pining over some suitor without saying anything you will never be able to successfully court,” Muzu added. 

Sidon wanted to scream.

“Wait,” Nami interrupted, “Prince Sidon has a crush?”

“Nooo, no I do not,” Sidon tried to insist, pushing Nami out of the throne room. “I am so sorry to have disturbed you two, we will be off to bed now--”

“WHO’S GONNA BE MY SECOND DAD!?” Nami shrieked, fighting Sidon as he tried to lift him into her arms. 

“No one!” Sidon roared back. “AND USE YOUR INSIDE VOICE!”

“BUT YOU’RE SCREAMING TOO!”

“MINAMI ENOUGH!”  Sidon screamed, but froze when he realized that the child had a point, “I mean! Apologies, but you must get to bed now.”

“Okay but  _ who _ ?” Nami asked, grinning widely.

“I would like to know as well,” Dorephan added.

“I would just like you to get your act together and court this man already,” Muzu interjected. “It was painful enough watching you as a boy fawn over Master Link.”

The prince felt his entire soul ascend from his body.

“I did what,” he coughed. 

“Oh, it was absolutely dreadful,” Muzu shook his head, “Actually, when you explained to me Mipha’s feelings for him, if anything it explained why you were so adamant about helping her with her armor.”

“It was adorable though,” Dorephan noted. “I had never seen you so excited about anything in your life, and that’s saying something.”

“I have no recollection of any of what you two are saying,” Sidon stated, but he regretted to admit to himself that that was only half true. 

He did vividly remember wanting to physically attach himself to Link’s hip as a child. And helping Mipha with her armor. But he had honest to every Goddess Above chalked that up to nothing more than idolization. He still did. 

But hearing this angle of the same story…

“Oh, you hopelessly adored that boy, My Son,” Dorephan noted. “I’m not embarrassing you too much, am I?”

Sidon felt every fin and gill on his body flare out and he let out a deep, long hiss escaped his body before he was calm enough to compose himself and say, “Not at all, Father.”

Dorephan blinked at Sidon for a moment before he looked down to Muzu and whispered, “I think I angered him quite deeply.”

“I would say so, My King,” Muzu nodded his head in agreement.

“So is Link gonna be my other dad?” Nami asked suddenly and it took every ounce of will power and muscle control to keep Sidon from making any sort of involuntary noise or flare to give himself away. 

“Back to bed,” Sidon announced as he plucked Nami off the ground and carried her back to his quarters. He bid a haphazard goodnight to his father and Muzu and once he finally coaxed Nami into bed (after way too many protests and questions), he angrily grabbed Link’s tunic, collapsed on the couch, and draped the light blue fabric over his face.

...It was starting to dawn on Sidon that his memories of pure idolization for Link were…

They were not idolization. Not at all. 

He had it  _ bad _ . And as much as Sidon appreciated his father, Muzu, and Nami for being so supportive of him, he did not what to know what would happen if they figured out that that “childhood crush” apparently never went away and only got worse. They would either be as appalled with him as he was of himself or they would throw entire coming out party and invite Link just to set the two up.

Frankly, Sidon didn’t know which would be worse. 

He was just glad that the worst of it was over for now.

 

* * *

 

Sidon needed to stop telling himself that the worst would be over.

Because it only got worse when he did.

In the grand scheme of things, Sidon was probably just being overdramatic. 

He was definitely being overdramatic, there was no question about it. 

But that didn’t change the fact that for the next three days, every time they went  _ anywhere _ , Nami rode atop Sidon’s head, pointing at every. Single. Male that they passed, Zora or not, asking if Sidon was attracted to him.

“Is that him?”

“No.”

“What about him?”

“No, Nami.”

“Him?”

“Minami!”

“Whaaaat?” Nami looked unapologetically to Sidon. He gave her a stern glare but couldn’t really say any more to her. He had to admit that, all things considering, she had been very mature and respectful to everything Sidon had told her. He’d be lying if he said that he hadn’t been afraid that the child would spill the news to her entire class the next day. But he had been pleasantly surprised when he arrived to pick Nami up from school to discover that he was neither being looked at or treated differently or asked questions by anyone, but Nami had reported that she hadn’t even told Tumbo about their conversation from the night before. 

She thought that Tumbo would have rather heard his story from Prince Sidon himself, possibly on a night that he came over to play with her after school. 

So all in all, Nami’s questions were completely harmless and came from a very mature and innocent place, but Sidon was getting tenser and tenser with each passing question. 

“Minami, I’ve told you this, he doesn’t live in the Domain,” Sidon explained. 

“Then who is iiiiit,” Nami whined, giggling slightly as she slid off the side of his head and onto his shoulder. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Sidon sighed. 

“But I wanna knooooow,” the child’s giggles were too sweet for Sidon to stay even remotely annoyed. 

“Mmhmm,” Sidon hummed in amusement. He lifted her off of his shoulders to carry her in his arms a little more safely. “Now, what was it that you wanted to get from the market?”

“Oh yeah!” Nami cheered, wriggling out of his grasp as he set her onto the ground. She had been very adamant about wanting to go to the market as soon as it opened for the summer season. It lived just along Inogo bridge and stretched for miles in the summertime. Hylians, Sheikah, Zora, Goran, and Gerudo all alike gathered along the marketplace to trade and sell their harvested goods. “I’ve never had strawberries before and King Dorephan said that they are the best when they are first harvested.”

“Ahh, my father told you about those special strawberries, did he?” Sidon smiled. “Hateno village has the best strawberry fields. My mother would take my sister and I here every year to buy strawberries from the Hylians of the village.”

Nami looked up at Sidon excitedly, her tail wagging in unison with his. She then took hold of his hand and said, “So where are they?”

“Well, come with me and I’ll show you!”

They grabbed strawberries and then got sidetracked when Nami became captivated by soft Gerudo silks nearby. The market, though a staple of Sidon’s childhood, wasn’t a commonplace that Zora would take their young children to unless they were trading their own goods. Actually, Zora participation in the market had gone down severely when the siege of Vah Ruta began. And the market itself was only recently revitalized as a whole after Ganon’s defeat. Needless to say, Sidon was almost in a state of disbelief that Nami had never even been to Inogo Bridge before and that this market was a completely new thing for her. His duties and her school work aside, Sidon felt that it was most important to let the girl enjoy this experience to her heart’s content, even if it meant that they were there until sunset. 

They strolled through the rolling green hills, looking for a place to sit and eat the dinner that Sidon had purchased from one of the stands. Nami had zeroed in on the remnants of an old guardian and sat on one of its legs. Despite Zelda’s countless reassurance that all of the guardians had been deactivated, Sidon still warily inspected the ruin before deeming it safe enough to let Nami continue sitting by it. He took a seat next to her, handing her the small pouch of food that was hers. 

“This is a lot of fun,” Nami mused, swinging her legs freely. 

“Yes, it sure is,” Sidon agreed. “I haven’t been to the summer market since I was a little older than you.”

“Yeah,” Nami took a bite of a small cake, “I dunno. I really like spending time with you.”

“And I with you,” Sidon nodded.

Nami hummed, glancing down slightly, “Prince Sidon?”

“Yes, my dear?”

“Would you...ever even want to be my dad?” Nami asked, her voice was so soft, and when Sidon looked over at her, startled by the question, the child looked away and avoided eye contact. 

Sidon set his food sack down and put it to the side, instinctively scooting closer to the child, “Minami...I can assure you that there is no greater honor than serving as your caretaker. And if I ever had the pleasure of calling you my daughter on day, why, I would sing the Goddesses their praises until the end of my days I would be so grateful.” 

Nami looked up at Sidon, a shy smile on her face. There had been a few reservations that kept Sidon from trying to make it official would be the slight overwhelming fear of having to balance everything on his own shoulders without a partner to help. But now...in this moment sitting by a guardian as the summer market winded down for the day, the prince felt he had the strength of a thousand suns to care for a child. 

Before he could speak, however, Sidon watched as Nami’s eyes flitted somewhere behind him. She squinted in confusion for a moment before she shot up to her feet and shouted, “Is that a horse!?”

Sidon jumped, turning behind him where a white speckled mare was grazing out in the field. She had a saddle and decoration from the royal palace, but there was no owner to be seen.

“Can I go pet it? Can I?” Nami leaped excitedly. “I’ve never seen a real horse before!”

“Now, just one moment, Nami, we’ll have to ask first,” Sidon said, rising to his feet. “But you can take a closer look. Stay close to me now.”

Nami took Sidon’s hand and tugged on it trying to make him walk faster towards the animal. The horse whinnied suddenly, lifting its head and looking their direction. Sidon jumped, holding Nami in place. Horses were large, at times skittish animals that had Sidon on edge when he saw one. He never knew if he was going to scare it and what it would do if he did. Nearly getting trampled in the stables of Hyrule castle when visiting with Mipha and his father when he was a boy, Sidon just wasn’t a fan of getting to close to any horse. Seeing the mare stare at him and Nami caused his heart to pound in his chest. 

A whistle behind them followed by the way the horse’s head turned told Sidon that she wasn’t actually staring at them, but her owner that was returning put Sidon at ease. He turned, “Pardon me, but is this your horse? My daughter was wondering--”

Sidon paused. 

The owner wasn’t just any Hylian. 

The blond man was holding a bushel of apples in his arms and a wide grin on his face, “Daughter?” 

“Liiiiink!” Nami cheered, running towards the champion. She barrelled into him and Link lost a few apples but gained a free hand to hug the child back as she wrapped her arms around his waist. 

“Hi, Nami,” Link chuckled, patting her head. He lifted his free hand to try to sign to her and Nami watched him as he made slow gestures. She squinted her eyes, trying to say out loud the words that she did know, but ultimately couldn’t make out what he was saying. 

“Daaaaad,” Nami whined. 

“Sidon,” Link said out loud, looking to the prince for help, but their pleas rang on deaf ears.

Sidon was taken aback, completely caught off guard by how beautiful the sight of the Hylian and the girl was. His heart didn’t just flutter in his chest, it stopped altogether. 

In the blink of an eye, Sidon stopped looking at a Hylian and a child, he was looking at his husband and his daughter, he was watching her grow up before him. He was watching his future, everything he wanted it to be, everything he could ever hope for. 

Link whistled suddenly, and Sidon realized that the duo had been trying to get his attention for the last several moments. The prince forced himself to shake out of his trance as he jumped. 

“Oh! Sorry! What was it?” 

“I don’t know what Link is saying!”

“Help,” Link cringed, clearing his throat excessively from what looked to have been a failed attempt at saying what he was trying to communicate.

“Oh!” Sidon jumped. “Sorry! What was that?”

Link heaved a sigh and signed once again, “If she wants to pet Stella then she’ll need to give her apples so she has a chance to warm up to Nami.”

“Ohhh!” Sidon nodded. “Nami, take the apples from Link, would you?”

“Mmkay,” Nami nodded, holding her arms out for the Hylian to deposit the fruit in them. Link then guided her closer to the horse before he reached out and grabbed her halter for a moment before he started running his hand through Stella’s mane. Link signed for Sidon to guide Nami up to the horse so she could stoop her head down and pluck an apple out of the child’s grasp, but the prince was hesitant to at first. 

“Don’t worry,” Link signed, a soft smile on his face, “She’s a sweet horse, she won’t hurt your or Nami.”

Sidon swallowed a lump in his throat, eyeing the mare’s hooves carefully before he instructed, “Alright, little one, just stand here and hold out one of the apples for her to take into her mouth.”

“Like this?” Nami asked, holding the apple up. Stella was quick to drop her head and sniff out the piece of fruit before she snatched it away, startling Nami slightly. The girl yelped, falling backwards into Sidon, but he caught her and steadied her. 

“Yes, exactly like that,” Sidon grinned. “Go on, give her another.”

Nami did, and Stella snatched the apple immediately. While she was still chewing on the previous apple, she lowered her head into Nami’s hand again, sniffing her way up to three more apples cradled in her arm. Nami giggled, fighting to keep from withdrawing her arm at the way the horse tickled and licked her.

Link chuckled, signing to Sidon who translated, “Link says she likes you.”

“She’s so pretty,” Nami commented. Per Link’s suggestion, Sidon lifted Nami into his arms, balancing her so she could reach out and pet the mare. Nami was quick to do so as she ran her hand along the bridge of the horse’s nose and smiled, “I love her!”

“She is quite the animal,” Sidon commented.

“Are you going to pet her too?” Nami asked. Sidon gulped loudly, but tried to comply. He held his hand out, barely grazing Stella’s fur before he flinched, drawing his hand back in hesitation. His nightmare in the stables of Hyrule castle had happened so long ago, hell, he barely remembered it. But it had been his only experience with horses and he still couldn’t bite back the underlying anxiety that nipped at his heels and--

A soft, warm, Hylian hand reached up and pressed against the back of Sidon’s, guiding it closer to Stella until he too was running his hand along the wide bridge. The prince was breathless, blowing air out of his gills in a nervous snort that almost mimicked the noise that Stella’s nostrils made. Her fur was soft and, Link was right, she was a very sweet soul, nothing like what Sidon had encountered in the past.

But that wasn’t why he was trembling suddenly. 

Sidon glanced down at Link, who had placed a reassuring hand on the small of his back. Though Sidon knew for a fact that had the Hylian been taller, that hand probably would have been placed somewhere more appropriate to the situation like a shoulder or something. But that didn’t change the fact that every touch, every movement brought the zora prince to life in ways he had never once imagined before. 

Nami poked at the crest of Sidon’s brow gently, trying to catch his attention and it took everything he had to redirect his focus to her and the horse. She was smiling expectantly at Sidon, so he smiled back at her and said, “She is a gorgeous being, isn’t she?” 

“Yeah!” 

Link chuckled at the two Zora before he tapped Sidon and removed his hands to ask, “So what are you two doing here?”

“Oh, well, miss Minami has never been to this market before, so we came down here to get some strawberries from Hateno,” Sidon answered. “How about yourself?”

“I actually helped deliver those strawberries!” Link grinned proudly. “I’ve had some down time since Zelda’s gotten settled in at Hyrule Castle, so I’ve been able to settle myself back home.”

“That’s right, I forgot you lived in that village,” Sidon’s eyes glittered, “How is it?”

“Peaceful as always, you should come visit sometime, there is much that I’d love to catch up on.”

“That is a lovely thought, I’ll have to see when a good opportunity would be to come visit.”

“Link,” Nami interrupted, bouncing excitedly and definitely not following Link’s half of the conversation, “You should come over for a bit tonight since you’re here!”

“Tonight?” Link asked aloud. 

“Well,” Sidon looked from Nami to Link and back, “Actually, if you wanted. You are much closer to the Domain than you are your village and the sea beds are much more comfortable than what you would probably be sleeping on tonight.”

Link contemplated that for a moment, looking up at his horse. Sidon didn’t know why, but the very thought that he might turn down the offer sent the Zora in a frenzy. Without thinking he blurted, “Also. I have your tunic still.”

Link gave Sidon a quizzical look and it felt as if six thousand alarms sounded in his head.

“I-I mean! You left it on accident last time you were visiting!” Sidon stumbled over his words. “I’ve...I washed it?”

The look of confusion quickly melted and Link smiled, “Ohhh!”

“So...you could come over and get it at the very least?” Sidon pressed.

Looking up at the horse one last time, Link smiled and answered, “I’ll need to take Stella to the stable that’s set up for the market and see about boarding her, but then I’d love to join you. I was going to stay in the area through the weekend if that was okay with you?”

“That would be marvelous!” Sidon nearly lept out of his own skin with excitement as his tail swayed excitedly behind him. 

“Great,” Link said aloud. He then gave Stella a pat on the neck before he mounted her, adjusting her reigns as he swung his leg over the other side of her saddle. “I’ll catch up with you two in a bit once I board her for the night.”

“Okay,” Sidon responded, but apparently the sight of Link riding a horse startled Nami as she started squirming in his arms again. 

“Wooooah!” she cheered, “That’s so cool!”

Link looked at Nami for a moment, then looked to Link and asked, “Can she come with me?”

“I don’t see why not,” Sidon shrugged. “Minami, do you want to ride Stella with Link to the stables?”

“Oh my gosh, can I?” Nami squealed excitedly. Her tail was smacking Sidon hard against the arms and face as he helped set her down on the mare positioned in front of Link so he could hold her securely and teach her how to steer the reigns. 

“We’ll come straight to your place after this,” Link insisted. “And then after we can catch up, I’m curious to hear how you’ve been doing since it’s been so long!”

“Yes, that sounds most excellent, Link,” Sidon couldn’t contain his grin. “Be safe now.”

“We will!” Nami chirped happily. Link whistled to Stella and directed her to turn around, and Sidon watched all the while as the horse trotted away with his two favorite people in all of Hyrule. The prince heaved a sigh. 

Inviting Link to stay through the weekend might not have been the best of ideas. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BUCKLE UP FAM IT'S TIME TO START YOUR ENGINES FOR THE MOST PINING TO EVER PIN


	9. Hangry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the food that heals is the food made by a loved one. 
> 
> Too bad Sidon can't cook shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huzzah! I'm back! And with a degree! I'm also really tired so I'm sorry for any typos that I missed when proof reading this. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Sidon paced helplessly around the kitchen, checking the clock. 

How long did it take to board a horse, he wondered? 

Were they finding their way okay? Should he have guided Link and Nami back to the Domain in the same way he had when he first met Link? Should he get dinner started? Why weren’t they back yet?

The prince let out a distressed hum, trying to keep his anxiety at bay as he shifted his weight from side to side, patting his thighs absentmindedly. Sidon wasn’t necessarily one for fidgeting unless he somehow managed to spike his anxiety levels up high enough. And such an occurrence hadn’t happened since he was but a teenager. 

He was certainly fidgeting now. 

More so than he ever had in his life. 

This was ridiculous, he couldn’t be caught wandering anxiously around his own quarters when Link and Nami returned! He needed to be productive! Upbeat! Positive! This was a good thing! He had Nami with him for a whole extra week because Midra had come down with a cold - which was very unfortunate for her and he already sent flowers and well-wishes for a speedy recovery but goodness it wasn’t every day that Sidon could spent  _ extra _ time with his...er, that little girl! - and now he had Link to spend a few days with as well! There was no need to be nervous!

Sidon puffed his chest out and emitted a triumphant snort from the back of his throat and the depths of his gills before he marched forward to pull out some pots and pans to prepare dinner. That’s what he would do! He would prove to Link that he had honed his cooking skills since last they met and--

The door swung open as Nami bounded in, but when Sidon looked up to see the Hylian stepping inside, hands resting on his belt and his head held high with much earned pride, well...the Zora Prince did not have so much pride that he was able to keep from dropping the pots in his hands and falling square on his ass in awe and wonder. 

The only thing that forced Sidon back into alertness was the embarrassment he felt over the noise and the spectacle he created. 

“Nice!” Nami guffawed, her grin spread wide with laughter. Sidon groaned, forcing himself to sit up and avoiding all eye contact. 

This was not exactly how he had planned his long awaited reunion with Link. 

Not in the slightest. 

The soft, beautiful sound of a light-hearted chuckle caught Sidon’s ears and he looked up to see Link stooping down to pick up some of the cooking utensils that had been scattered on the floor. He looked up, smiling all the way to his big blue eyes and he asked, “Didn’t you already have dinner?”

“Yes, well,” Sidon was at a loss for words. Crap. “I wasn’t sure you had yet and thought that...you might like something…?”

If Link’s smile could grow anymore, it did somehow. He touched his fingers to his chin, and then extended his hand toward Sidon in thanks before suggesting, “Well, I’m okay for now...but do you have any flour? I could make a strawberry shortcake for dessert.”

“Oh,” Sidon felt his tail wagging subconsciously at that, “That would be lovely. Minami, do you want to try a special cake made with some of the strawberries we got today?”

“Yes please!” Nami cheered from the living room. Sidon smiled at the girl’s excitement, though it wasn’t until after the cake was made and it occurred to both men that overloading the girl with sugar before going to bed was a bad idea. Heavens, she bounced off the wall endlessly and it was all Link and Sidon could do to keep from collapsing with exhaustion by the time they finally got her into her sleeping pool and turned the lights out. 

“Sorry,” Link signed, “I didn’t think about how late it was.”

“It’s alright,” Sidon heaved a sigh, reclining against the sofa; they were both sitting impractically on the floor despite how well-furnished his living quarters were, but neither really had the energy to get back up. “Today was a special day, with the market opening, I just hadn’t expected her to have that much left in her system when we offered her the cake. Which was very delicious by the way, thank you for sharing.”

“Not a problem,” Link grinned as his hands danced through the air. Sign Language had always fascinated Sidon, but watching Link communicate with it...it was like an artform when he signed. “Though she is going to be exhausted in the morning.”

“Oh, I don’t even want to think about that,” Sidon rolled his eyes. “And I have so many meetings tomorrow that start first thing...it’ll be a miracle if I can get her to school on time.”

Link let out a hearty chuckle. 

He lifted his hands and Sidon felt his entire body overheat. 

“You sound like a dad.”

“Well!” Sidon huffed, at a loss for words. Sure, he wanted to be more than anything in the world at this moment however... “For this week and next I  _ am _ her caretaker!”

“You also called her your daughter when we were with Stella.”

“A slip of the tongue!” 

“Sure,” Link said out loud, shaking his head and smiling before he finally rose to his feet. He extended a hand to help Sidon up and the prince wasn’t too shy to seize the opportunity and place his hand in Link’s.

And oh, it was so warm. 

And strong.

But surprisingly gentle. 

The moment ended too soon as Link slipped his hand away, their fingers grazing as they drew apart. There was another moment, when Sidon looked down into Link’s eyes and he watched them sparkle, their expression unreadable. Those eyes flitted away from Sidon’s view and the Hylian signed, “If you want, I can help you with her in the morning. I mean it’s partially my fault that she was up so late.”

“That would be very kind of you, thank you, Link,” Sidon said warmly. 

Another moment. 

Oh, how Sidon wanted to take in every feature, every faint tracing of a scar, every eyelash and commit them to memory. He didn’t want to forget the way Link’s hair brushed in front of his eyes or the way his ears shifted position and twitched periodically; he didn’t want to forget how those ears flitted upwards with his smile. 

“Um,” Link hummed, rocking back onto his heels, “Goodnight.”

“Oh!” Sidon snapped out of his trance, embarrassed. “Pardon me, goodnight, Link.”

It took everything the prince had in him to go to bed in his own room that night, and he spent most of it floating in his sleeping pool on his back, staring up at the ceiling in frustration.

What was wrong with him?

Sidon let out a growl; he had asked that question of himself so many times that he no longer needed an answer. He knew. 

But why couldn’t he just get over Link? 

That answer, however, was one that Sidon could not seem to find no matter how long he stayed up tormenting himself. The next morning was met with as much difficulty waking Nami as Sidon had anticipated, and the poor girl was so tired that when she wasn’t grumbling and taking a few swipes at Sidon with her claws for disturbing her, she was weeping in his arms not wanting to budge. 

Sidon tried testing his hypothesis that developed the last time this happened by taking her outside onto the back deck, but that test backfired and the girl simply threw a tantrum. 

“Okay, never doing that again,” Sidon said to himself as he quickly ran back inside and tried to pry her claws out of his shoulder. He glanced at the clock and fought back a whine. 

Well, at least this time he had thirty minutes before the school day started. 

A popping sound startled Sidon, directing his attention to the kitchen where he was amazed to find Link standing at the stove frying up bacon. His already messy blond hair was standing on all ends and partially matted in the back from having slept on it. He was wearing worn-out trousers that were developing holes along some of the seams and his baggy shirt was covered in so many holes it barely still qualified as a shirt anymore. 

The Hylian turned his head to look at Sidon with a groggy expression and he gestured to a set of plates that already had some food placed on them. Sidon blinked multiple times; he had been so preoccupied with Nami that he hadn’t noticed when Link had arisen and started on breakfast but goodness he was glad that he did. 

And he looked so adorable in his sleepy state too…

Nami’s whines stirred Sidon and he forced himself to shake his head until he could regain focus. 

“Minami,” he said gently, bouncing the child in his arms, “Master Link has made us both breakfast, isn’t that nice?”

Nami responded by groaning as she hid her face in his chest. 

“I know, sweetheart,” Sidon cooed. “We let you stay up much too late last night.” 

“Mmmmm,” Nami grumbled. Sidon took that as a sign that she would at least attempt to eat whatever was placed in front of her. He took her to the table and attempted to set her down, but as soon as he placed at any sort of distance from his body, Nami contracted into herself and cried out, “No!”

Sidon froze in shock as she jumped back towards him, clinging to his chest. Frowning, Sidon said, “Nami, dear, you must sit down at eat your breakfast.”

“Mmmmnnnsssmmhmmlmmmmm,” Nami groaned. Sidon could barely tell that those were intended to be intelligible words, but she spoke into his chest and he could not make out anything she was saying. 

“Pardon?”

Nami let out a growl and Sidon could feel her gills flare out in frustration as she lifted her head and snapped, “I wanna sit on your laaaaap!”

“Oh goodness me, child,” Sidon chided, feeling himself growing annoyed. He could have lost his temper altogether had it not been for Link who expertly slid Nami’s plate to the spot in front of Sidon’s chair and caught her attention.

Nami looked to Link who gestured for her to dig in and Sidon watched as the Hylian signed to him to just stay put while she ate and sure enough as she got a couple of bites into her system that tail started wagging in contentment.

“Better?” Sidon asked when Nami had finished inhaling her food. 

“Better,” Nami chirped. 

“Alright, well, go get your school bag ready while I eat my own breakfast, okay?” Sidon asked. 

“Okay!” Nami complied with no issue whatsoever as she hopped chipperly off his lap. Sidon stared at the kid in awe before his head swiveled back to the Hylian that was wearing a knowing glance. 

“How did you…?” Sidon started but his voice trailed off. 

Link shrugged, offering, “She’s not a morning person is she.”

“Oh heavens no, not in the slightest,” Sidon spat. Link doubled over, trying to keep his food in his mouth as he laughed. The prince frowned, “How did you know that would work?”

“Mipha was the same way!” he signed. “She scared the crap out of Zelda once one morning when we had to get up before sunrise and was snarling at everyone before we were able to sit down and eat.”

Sidon felt his head tilt back at that.  _ His _ Mipha? His sweet-tempered, kind, quiet, beautiful older sister? Chewing on the side of his mouth, Sidon  _ could _ recall a few times when she had been unusually ill-tempered if he really thought about it. 

“So...my sister got like this often?” Sidon found himself asking.

“Only when we were traveling,” Link said. “But a good meal always fixed it...King Dorephan says you’re the same way.”

“Well, I was known for my temper when I was younger,” Sidon admitted. That seemed to catch Link by surprise.

“Really?” He gasped.

“Oh yes,” Sidon nodded. “I was quite the difficult person to handle. I could get angry at just about anything, I gave my poor father quite the runaround.”

“But…” Link started, his hands pausing as the searched for the right words, “You’re always so...positive...and gentle. Kind.”

“You flatter me, Link,” Sidon felt his face heat up. “But to be honest, that wasn’t always the case. I inherited my temper from my mother. She had always had a strong, at times abrasive personality if she wasn’t careful. And especially after Mipha died...well, I could find a lot to be angry about. At first my elders just found it annoying but…”

Sidon paused, his mind drifting back to a memory that he had long tried to forget. In his periphery, he saw Link lean forward and rest his elbows on the table in anticipation, so the prince forced himself to continue, “I never realized my strength nor my stature until one day...I don’t even know how it started but I had gotten into a disagreement with a girl that I studied with. She had made some snide comments and I just turned and lashed out at her. I had knocked over an entire bookshelf in my father’s library without realizing it and frightened the poor thing to tears. Before I realized how much I had scared her and how out of line I was, she had run off and hasn’t spoken to me since. I haven’t known how to apologize to her...but...I don’t ever want to be like that ever again. And I see the way, even now, how young children and outsiders especially look to me with apprehension and...I don’t want to be perceived as frightening, I don’t want to hurt others, and I just don’t want to be so angry all the time, you know?”

He supposed his hands must’ve been shaking as he spoke, because Link placed a warm hand over them. Sidon looked up at the Hylian’s strong gaze and with his free hand he said, “It’s okay.”

Sidon heaved a sigh, “I know. But, I suppose the point to my sad tale is that if Mipha inherited our mother’s temper then it certainly must’ve exposed itself when she was hungry. I know my mother and I certainly experienced exaggerated tempers with hunger!”

Link chuckled, patting Sidon’s hands as he signed, “I suppose Nami inherited that from you as well!” 

Sidon smiled, “Perhaps. Though, I tried giving her breakfast from the attendants the last time she was this distraught and she didn’t want it.”

Link tilted his head back and gave a knowing smile and a soft grunt. His ears flicked upward ever so slightly and he explained, “Sometimes food from someone you care about is the food that heals.”

“Is that so?” Sidon tilted his head in wonder. “Those are wise words, I’ll have to remember them.”

‘And I’m going to have to teach you how to cook something other than fish,” Link retorted. Sidon felt his smile fall. “Nami was telling me how much you’ve been struggling with cooking!”

“Now that’s just not fair!” Sidon pleaded. “I’ve tried my best, you know!”

Granted, as Link continued to jokingly berate the prince for his lack of cooking ability, Sidon had to admit that he didn’t mind it if that meant the two of them would get to spend even more time together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get rekt, Sidon


	10. The Enemy's Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> News of mysterious attacks across Hyrule are reaching the domain, but despite the reports of them going after divine beasts Sidon just can't seem to appease Vah Ruta, no matter what he tries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh. This is gonna get angsty. And then it's gonna end in a cliffhanger. Sorry bout it. 
> 
> (also I really need to stop updating so late at night otherwise you all are never going to get any sleep! (I say as I post this at midnight my time))
> 
> Oh, and just a warning for anyone that may be triggered by this, Sidon does have a panic attack in this chapter. He's okay though!

“There have been reports flooding across Hyrule of attacks from an unknown enemy lately,” Muzu said firmly. The elder held himself with great dignity and his presence emanated throughout the room, as did the concern that rippled across the council of Zora that served closely at King Dorephan’s side. Sidon sat up a little straighter as Muzu spoke, resting his chin on his fist with apprehension. He knew there were several matters to get through in the flurry of meetings that had sprung up today, but he hadn’t anticipated something so serious.

“Were these attacks from monsters?” Jiahto asked, leaning forward in his seat. His voice shook with age but his gaze was firm. 

“They’ve all been too coordinated to be simple monsters,” King Dorephan interjected. Sidon looked up at his father, feeling his frown increase. The king continued, “So far they’ve all been thwarted, but the attacks on Eldin drew reports that Divine Beast Vah Rudania was being singled out for a possible capture. This could be a bad omen.”

“Which leads us to believe that this attacker could be targeting Vah Ruta next,” Muzu finished. A ripple of whispers flooded across the room. Some of indifference - what did it matter if Ruta was taken? After all it was the prison that Princess Mipha had met her demise in. Others of worry, wondering if Ganon was on the rise once again after all. But Sidon…

The prince sunk in his seat, knowing the question would eventually come but hoped that it didn’t. 

He hadn’t been inside that beast in over a month.

It wouldn’t respond to him, no matter what he tried. Granted, it wasn’t like he actually tried that hard. Walking inside that thing...the way his footsteps echoed against the ancient stone and gears...the way he could just picture Mipha’s cries for help and screams as she--

Sidon felt a shiver run up his spine. 

It was too much to bear. 

The only thing that kept him from calling it quits and telling Zelda she needed to find someone else was the utmost faith Link had in him during their last visit.

“Sidon,” Dorephan’s voice boomed and the prince fought to keep from wilting. “What is the status on Vah Ruta?”

“The beast is tame,” Sidon managed to say.

Silence followed. 

“Is that it?” Dorephan asked only just before Sidon’s ears started ringing from the discomfort of the moment. 

“Yes, Father.”

“And has it responded to your efforts to control it at all?” Dorephan asked.

“No, Father."

“When was the last time you were inside that beast?”

“Father,” Sidon snapped. “I hardly think now is the time to be interrogating me on the functionality of Vah Ruta. If we are anticipating an attack then we need to build up our defenses to protect the Domain!”

Another ripple of whispers and grumbles crossed the room, most of which were in agreement.

“But what about Ruta?” one of the younger Zora - about Sidon’s age - asked. He was the representative sent from the Royal Guard, Bazz. “We don’t have a large enough army to protect it.”

“We don’t need to protect it!” Seggin protested. “That beast is a massive weapon, it should be able to defend itself!”

“Yes, but if Prince Sidon can’t get it to respond to him, then how will it do that!?” Bazz retorted. “If it’s dormant then it will surely fall into the hands of the enemy, whoever that may be!”

“And what if it does!?” Jiahto spat. “That beast has caused us nothing but trouble since the Great Calamiy! I say if they take it, then they take it!”

“Jiahto,” Muzu interjected, folding his hands behind his back, “As much as I would have agreed with you not long ago, we mustn’t forget what happened the last time Vah Ruta did fall into the hands of the enemy, and that was when our dear Princess had full control of it. If it were to remain dormant and be overtaken so easily, there is no telling what could happen.”

“So you’re suggesting we risk Prince Sidon’s life!?”

“That is not at all what he is suggesting,” Dorephan boomed, shutting down the discussion. “Listen, as much as I do not want my own son going into that beast, I cannot deny that he is the New Age Champion of Vah Ruta. And as far as it has been reported, this enemy, though dangerous, is not tied to Calamity Ganon. Nevertheless, we can’t risk losing the beast to the wrong hands.”

All eyes were on the king and the Zora remained silent, obedient. Sidon, on the other hand, quietly gripped the table to keep from shaking. 

He did not want to go back in there.

“Sidon, my boy,” King Dorephan said gently, “I know this is no small feat for me to ask of you, but I implore you to try to appease the beast once more. We need it to be able to defend itself in times of need as we simply do not have the forces to guard it ourselves.”

“I understand, Father,” Sidon nodded. “I will do what I can.”

“Good man,” Dorephan praised. “The rest of you, keep the Domain on high security for the time being. Send out scouts from the Royal Guard if we must. We need to know what we could be up against and we must dispel this threat as soon as possible.”

“The Hylian champion is here,” Bazz offered. “Perhaps he has heard or seen the enemy during his travels!” 

“He is? I had not heard this news yet,” Dorephan lifted his head in surprise. Sidon felt a curious gaze look to him before the king ordered, “Send for him immediately, then. I need to know what he knows. Dismissed.”

Though it was far from the last meeting of the day, Sidon was at least reprieved for a much needed break. 

A break he did not feel like he was really going to get. 

The prince didn’t even try to put on a strong or a happy face as he passed his subjects, instead he drug himself to the furthest corner of the domain where no one could see him, stopped by the dock of the reservoir overlooking Vah Ruta, fought to keep his composure as he barely attempted to even picture himself seeking closure with the damn beast, and failed. 

“Dammit,” Sidon cursed, kicking at the ground. Anger welled up in his chest so suddenly that it felt as if a cork popped unexpectedly and the prince let out a scream as his chest tightened to the point he could barely breathe. He hastily stooped down and grabbed at a broken harpoon that someone had left behind and chucked it as hard as he could at Ruta. It bounced uselessly off the armor of its leg, not even garnering a response from the beast which only caused Sidon to scream louder until it escalated into a full blown roar. “FUUCK!” 

He fell to his knees, pounding at the ground with so much force that he cracked the dock. He roared again, sounding less like a Zora prince and more like a wild animal. 

“WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ME!?” Sidon screamed at the unresponsive beast. “WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE HER!? GOD DAMMIT!”

Sidon punched at the dock again, but this time he hit it so hard that he damaged his own hand in addition to the dock. Sharp pain surged up his knuckles, through his arm, and his whole body seized up for a moment, “FUUUUCK!”

“SIDON!” Link’s voice rang out louder than Sidon had ever heard before, causing the prince to freeze. He spun around stiffly to find the Hylian standing behind him, his blue eyes watery and his whole expression - even his ears - downturned. 

“L-Link!” Sidon jumped, his anger melting to give way to a deep, profound sadness. “I--what are you doing here!? My father sent for you!”

Link fought to keep a straight face, but his drooping ears only made the Hylian look even sadder. Sometimes seeing those ears fall was worse than seeing him frown. He lifted his hands and carefully signed, “He sent me to find you…”

“Oh,” Sidon felt himself cracking. “Oh, Link…”

And then he broke.

Sidon ducked his head, only barely starting to register how swollen his hand was, and the tears began to fall. What had been angry screams and roars turned to sobs and whatever was left of Sidon’s rage translated into one last cry of defiance when Link tried to approach him. 

“No!” Sidon spat, swatting the Hylian away. “I don’t-I don’t deserve your kindness!”

“But Sidon--”

“I’m not a champion, Link!” Sidon wept. “I can’t control the beast! I can’t even go in there! I’m not fit to be a champion! I’m not fit to be a king!”

“STOP IT!” Link screamed so loud the earth trembled. In one swift motion, he clamped his hands around Sidon’s face and jerked it upwards, forcing him to look Link in the eye. Link glared fiercely at him for a moment before his eyes softened and his brow furrow more in sorrow than frustration. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Sidon’s, allowing the prince to weep. 

“I’m sorry,” Sidon cried out, falling onto Link’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry!”

“Shhh,” Link hushed. They stayed like that for a few moments before Sidon had calmed down to notice just how much his hand was throbbing and he withdrew. Link, the prepared warrior that he was, had a first aid kit on hand at all times and he inspected what he guessed was a hairline fracture of the knuckles, splinted the prince’s hand, and wrapped it in a bandage to cushion it. The entire task was performed in silence, and as Sidon’s fountain of emotions wore off, he just felt his entire body heat with embarrassment. 

He didn’t even know what had become of him, to be frank.

“Now,” Link signed as he sat back on his heels, looking firmly up at Sidon, “What was that all about?”

“I’m sorry, Link, I--” Sidon couldn’t meet the Hylian’s gaze. “You caught me in a moment of weakness. I never wanted you to see me like that...I don’t even know what that was.”

“Dorephan said he asked you to work more with Vah Ruta,” Link pointed out, his ears twitching downwards for a moment before they snapped back up into their normal, slightly upward pointed position. “And Zelda was worried because she hadn’t seen any activity from it since we last visited.”

“Yes, well,” Sidon wiped his eyes dry with his good hand. “I regret to admit that my progress with Vah Ruta has been dismal. And my motivation to actually make an improvement is next to nothing, which is not something I am used to feeling. And there have been reports of attacks on the Divine Beasts lately and if I can’t control it…”

Sidon stopped himself. He couldn’t speak. 

“Sidon,” Link signed his name with that special hand gesture they had come up with together when they were children. The one that Mipha had helped them with. Sidon felt his chest tighten again and he looked to the ground to hold back tears, but Link reached forward and lifted his chin, forcing him to look at the Hylian as he signed, “You had a panic attack. A bad one. But you’re okay. No one expects you to have a perfect relationship with Vah Ruta after all the grief it’s put you through. I know I’m not. And your dad is scared to death every time you go in there, if it weren’t for these attacks he would be perfectly happy with you avoiding your duty as a champion altogether.”

“But I can’t, Link, that’s the problem,” Sidon’s voice cracked. “I have to reconcile my emotions with that-that  _ prison _ but I just can’t! Not by myself!” 

“Well,” Link started thoughtfully, “You don’t have to go it alone. Let me help you.”

“What?” Sidon scoffed. He hated the way his heart fluttered in his chest at the very thought. “Link, that’s very kind of you but you don’t have to! You shouldn’t!”

“And you shouldn’t have to go it alone!” Link protested. “Any of this! Appeasing Ruta, raising Nami...you need help, Sidon! And I want to help you!”

Sidon blinked suddenly, all his anxiety coming to a screeching halt at the introduction of an entirely new topic: “...what does Nami have to do with this?”

Link’s expression drifted into unreadable territory for a moment but he recovered by tilting his head and giving Sidon a deadpan look, “You have so many reservations on the simple basis that you feel alone. Nami and Ruta happen to be within that list. That’s how she relates.”

“Yes but that’s not…” Sidon started to argue, but he paused. “Are...are you offering to help me  _ raise _ her?”

“Sidon, you’re missing the point.”

“But why would you want to help raise her?” Sidon couldn’t quite get unstuck from the new, sudden point being brought up to him. Honestly anything that distracted him from Ruta was very welcome in his mind. 

“Because she’s a cute kid and you’re wrapped around her fin and Goddess above you are helpless, but for the love of all that is good Sidon can we please get back to my original point?” Link’s hand signs were getting more pointed and more animated as his grumpy expression deepened. His silence only served to intimidate the prince who wilted under Link’s glare.

“Sorry,” Sidon grunted. 

“Anyway,” Link sighed as he signed. “I don’t want you going up there by yourself. At least not until you get more comfortable with Ruta. So can I help you? Please?”

Sidon felt a weight lifted off his shoulders as he gazed into the sincerity of Link’s eyes. He still wanted nothing to do with the beast but...if Link could help him stop its reign of terror over the domain, then certainly his help could go a long distance in Sidon’s learning to champion Vah Ruta once and for all. 

“Okay,” Sidon agreed. “Thank you, Link.”

 

* * *

Sidon’s peace of mind simmered away in all of two weeks when no progress had been made. 

If anything, Vah Ruta was starting to fight him back. 

“Oh come on!” Sidon snapped, slamming a hand against the control panel. “It’s two simple steps!”

Ruta retorted by giving a disgruntled trumpet and shooting a gallon of water into the air which landed directly on Link and Sidon, soaking them for the third time that day. 

“Huh,” Link crossed his arms as he looked the inside of the beast up and down.

“What?” Sidon snapped, baring his teeth. 

“You really do have a temper,” Link noted with surprise, seemingly unphased by the way the Zora that was twice his height and weight glared down at him. It took Sidon a moment to forcibly calm his anger and he hissed in discontent. 

“Gaaah, you’re right,” Sidon ducked his head. “I just don’t understand why this is so difficult! I must not be the champion after all.”

“No you definitely are,” Link pointed out. “The fact that Ruta is responding at all is proof.”

“Oh, so did Ruta shoot gallons of water directly at Mipha every time she made a simple reques as wellt!?” Sidon barked. “Is that how the Waterblight took control of it so easily and killed her!?”

Link stared at Sidon for a long moment, seemingly waiting for even the slightest hint of remorse over his latest snarl to kick in, but Sidon had none left to give for the day, he was so exhausted. Finally, Link lifted his hands, smiled, and suggested, “Let’s take a break.”

“No, no, I’m fine,” Sidon protested. “If this damn thing would just  _ do what I tell it _ !” 

“Ruta seems just as pissy as you are right now,” Link pointed out. “You two need a breather from each other.”

Sidon paused for a moment to wonder how in the blazes a machine could be capable of feeling anything, much less the same amount of seething resentment that was boiling underneath Sidon’s skin, but he kept the thought to himself and followed Link outside. He thought Link would stop once they reached the dock, but when the Hylian hopped off his back and onto dry land, he kept walking. 

“Link?” Sidon perked up a little as he climbed out of the water. “Where are you going?”

“Come on!” Link called back, not looking to see if Sidon was following. It was a bright and sunny day, the light reflecting off of the water to give the whole reservoir a heavenly glow. They climbed up a hill, walking further and further away from the reservoir, even hiking away from the domain and towards Inogo Bridge. 

“Link just where are you taking us?” Sidon asked after twenty minutes of walking in silence. Link didn’t respond but instead looked around, his gaze locking onto a nearby tree and his expression lit up.

“Ah-ha!” Link cheered, his pace picking up. Sidon followed closely behind and watched as Link stopped, took off the pack he had been carrying and dropped it onto the ground to pull out a huge assortment of food from it. Sidon had been wondering where the faintly delicious smell had been resonating from all day and once it hit his olfactory sensors directly his mouth immediately began to water and his tail began to wag. Link smiled knowingly and invited Sidon to sit down, handing him one of the meat skewers he had cooked up the night before. Sidon had all but inhaled three before Link finally pointed out, “You get really cranky when you’re hungry, you know that?”

“Oh,” Sidon felt his cheeks flush and his gills puff out defensively. “Well, my apologies, Link. You’ve seen some rather ugly sides of me as of late.”

He also didn’t want to think about how appalled Link must’ve been with him for such horrible behavior. The Hylian certainly was getting the worst of him. 

And there was no telling what Nami would think if she saw him like this…

Link shook his head and chuckled, quelling any anxious thoughts that plagued Sidon’s mind with a few simple signs: “Mipha was worse.”

Sidon stared at Link in disbelief, “I beg your pardon?”

“Oh yes,” Link insisted. “She didn’t have your strength but she was never without her trident and she stuck me with it a few times when she got really frustrated. Poor thing was embarrassed to no end, no matter how many times I tried to tell her it was okay. It doesn’t bother me. We all have our burdens, and we all do the best that we can, you know? Besides, sometimes seeing Mipha get frustrated or angry was a good thing. It meant she wasn't bottling up all her emotions to put on a perfect face, and seeing what upset her sometimes showed just what a sweet and caring being she was. Just like you.”

"What do you mean?" Sidon asked.

"I've only ever seen you get upset when people you care about were affected," Link explained. "Almost all of your stress has been related to using Ruta to protect the Domain, even in your worst moments. You're a really selfless person, Sidon. And while that worries me sometimes, I do admire that about you. It's okay to let yourself get angry, especially in front of me. You need someone to vent to sometimes."

Sidon felt as if he were melting under Link’s radiance he was so unworthy of it. Instead, all he could do was sigh helplessly, “Such wisdom...it’s no wonder that she loved you.”

Link’s smile fell suddenly and he looked down, his brow furrowed. “I wasn’t deserving of it.”

“What?” that surprised Sidon more than anything he had heard in his life. “Don’t be insane, Link! You are one of the bravest, kindest, smartest, wisest people I have ever known! If anyone was deserving of Mipha’s love, why, you’re the only one worthy of winning her heart.”

“Sidon,” Link hissed out loud, ears drooping under the prince’s praise. Sidon stared at Link in confusion as he hesitantly signed, “I was too weak…”

“Link, it wasn't your fault--” Sidon started, but the Hylian stopped him. 

“I couldn’t save her from Calamity Ganon,” Link explained. “But worse of all...I couldn’t...I wasn’t capable of…”

Link’s hands trembled, and Sidon watched him apprehensively, his heart beginning to leap out of his chest. Wasn’t capable of what? Before Sidon could ask or before Link could finish, their quiet moment was disrupted when Bazz sprinted frantically up the hill waving his arms to get Sidon’s attention.

“PRINCE SIDOOON!” He cried out, “There’s trouble!”

Sidon leapt to his feet with Link right behind him, and the prince asked, “What is it?”

“The Domain is under attack!” Bazz cried out. “It’s the Yiga Clan!” 

“What?!” Sidon’s eyes widened. “That can’t be right.”

“I destroyed their leader,” Link agreed. “And Ganon. What are they still doing around?”

“I don’t know!” Bazz panted. “There was a small group that broke away from the main attack spotted heading for Ruta, but the main fleet has already broken into the Domain and they’re taking children hostage and demanding that the champion exchange his life for theirs!” 

Sidon felt his stomach drop as he instinctively glanced down at a pale faced Link.

They both gasped, “Nami.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyyyyy~ 
> 
> What's a good story without some suspense? It can't all be fluff and daisies all the time.
> 
> I mean it could. But I'm to much of an asshole for that.


	11. Minami's Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Yiga clan has attacked and Nami finds a banana. 
> 
> It works surprisingly well as a weapon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO LET ME SHARE SOME OF THE BULLSHIT I HAVE HAD TO PUT UP WITH IN THE LAST 24 HOURS
> 
> 1) Adulting. That just always sucks.  
> 2) My mother has been in quite the grand mood and I can't breathe without her picking a fight with me  
> 3) Dad switched to the cheapest wi fi package he could humanly manage because he forgets that even though he doesn't need wi fi, his daughter that's transitioning to graduate school and his niece that's trying to power through college rely on it TO TURN OUR HOMEWORK IN  
> 4) the two above points have made me really wish I had enough of a savings built up to move into my own apartment immediately  
> 5) storms came through last night and knocked all the power out in my neighborhood  
> 6) Mom, considering that this relates to point #2, took my car because she was too lazy to manually open the garage, to get coffee this morning, saw clearly labeled signs that road crews were working with downed trees and electrical wires in a neighborhood, THEN TOOK THAT STREET THAT THE SIGNS WARNED HER ABOUT AND DROVE OVER A NAIL  
> 7) Mom proceeded to return without informing me that she drove my car (and relocated my keys which had me searching for 20 minutes) and that the tire pressure gauge came on, and asked me to go pick up breakfast for everyone  
> 8) on this journey my tire officially went flat  
> 9) I spent way too long trying to get my car to the shop to have it fixed but bless my dad for lending his truck so I could finally sit down at Starbucks to work on shit
> 
> Sorry. That was long. But I finally have internet and my car will be fixed later today. Life is grand. :)
> 
> In any case, here's the next chapter! (also...the rating is going up for reasons involving a tiny zora child fighting big threatening villains and literally risking her life when she definitely SHOULD NOT BE)

Minami hid under one of the benches in the courtyard, shaking, trying to keep quiet but wishing she had the strength or courage to fight back. 

They wouldn’t stop.

What were they doing?

Why were they attacking? The Zora didn’t do anything wrong! 

Prince Sidon had once told Nami that sometimes bad people do bad things to good people. It was kind of like bullying, maybe the bad people were hurting and taking it out on good people, or maybe there was no true reason for it to happen at all. But this was on a much bigger, much more dangerous scale.

He had also told her that if bad people were to ever attack the Domain she needed to run and hide as quickly as she could and leave the fighting for him and the other adults who could protect her. So far, she was doing just that.

But her classmates…

Tears welled in Nami’s eyes, partly in confusion, mostly in frustration, but overall just in blatant fear for her life and her friends’ lives.

Why were they doing this? 

Nami clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from making noise, but the screams of a familiar voice dried her eyes up real quick and she peeked out from under the bench just enough to see where these specific cries were coming from. 

“Oh no,” Nami whimpered.

Tumbo…

“LET ME GO!” he cried out, tears escaping his golden eyes as a Yiga pulled him up by the tail. He let out a scream in pain and Nami flinched at the sight. Oh no this could not be happening. 

She wasn’t sure what switch flipped or where the sudden rush came from (Prince Sidon told her once that shark-based Zora like them had strong instincts and sometimes they kicked in so strongly that they couldn’t be controlled, only listened to, and while Nami wondered about that she also was certain that Prince Sidon would  _ not _ want her to be listening to them in this situation) but she clicked open her lunch box, shuffling through it to try to find a knife or something she could defend herself with.

Unfortunately, while Link’s lunches were the best thing in the world (especially compared to Prince Sidon’s, though she would never tell him that), he also pre-cut everything so neatly that nothing valuable could be found. 

Nami, did, however find a banana and for whatever reason in her split second to make a choice she called that good enough, grabbed hold of it, crawled out from under the bench and charged towards the masked man before she slid forward, her gills puffed out as big as she could make them, pointed the banana directly at him and screamed, “PUT MY FRIEND DOWN!”

The man spun around, holding his sickle, ready to strike the child but he froze suddenly, his grip on Tumbo loosening suddenly.

“I-is that what I think it is?” he asked.

“Um,” Nami slackened her grip on the banana as well. 

“It is!” The man danced excitedly. “Oh! Oh! Oh! Can I have it! Pleeeease!? I love those things!”

Nami looked to the man in confusion, trying to figure out just what he was pointing to. It seemed to be something she was holding but the only thing she had was… “My banana?”

“Yes! Yes! That!”

“Um…” Nami squinted at the man who was suddenly way less scary. Shaking her head, Nami tried to regain her composure and felt a little more confident upon the realization that not only was he completely distracted by a fruit but he was barely taller than Link which made him way less intimidating than the Zora adults that Nami was used to staring up at. She flared her gills and her fins to make herself look as big as possible, glared down the man and bared her teeth like she had seen Prince Sidon do as she demanded, “I’ll only give you this if you release my friend and never hurt him again!”

“It’s a deal!” The man danced excitedly. “Just give me the banana!”

“Put him down first!”

The man complied, dropping a tearful yet horridly confused Tumbo to the ground. Tumbo scrambled back to his feet and ran behind Nami who then chucked the banana as far as she could throw, watching as the masked man dashed after it like some kind of animal chasing a ball. 

To her astonishment, a few heads swiveled and the enemies whom those heads belonged to dropped their weapons just to chase after the airborne fruit.

“I guess they like bananas,” Tumbo sniffled in confusion. 

“Do you have any in your lunchbox?” Nami asked quickly.

“No but I think Miki does.”

“Hmm,” Nami looked around, trying to come up with ideas. There was no way they were strong enough or big enough to actually be helpful, especially since they were children and Prince Sidon wanted them to be safe. 

But...if the masked men were all that obsessed with bananas…

“I have an idea,” Nami cheered, taking Tumbo’s hand. “Come on!”

“I thought we were supposed to hide!” Tumbo protested.

“I’m also supposed to listen to my instincts!” Nami retorted. “And they say we have to help!”

Tumbo groaned but ran dutifully behind her. The children weaved around the adults’ legs, startling a few and alarming just about all of the guardsmen.

“Princess!? What are you doing!?”

“Bazz! The Princess is on the run!”

“Well don’t just stand there, give her some cover!”

Nami ran forward until she found the bulk of the masked men before she skidded to a halt and screamed, “Heeey!!! I found some bananas!” 

Just like before, all of the masked men froze and turned their attention to the little girl, a gasp traversing through their platoon. The Zora around Nami and Tumbo, however, stared at them with paralyzing fear straining their expressions. 

“Where!?” One masked man asked.

“They’re…” Nami started, her upper body swiveling as she tried to figure out a place to round them up to. “They’re...um…”

“They’re down below!” Tumbo offered. “Take the stairs towards the barracks!” 

The masked men all exchanged a uniform glance before another lifted his sickle and declared, “To the barracks!”

There was a uniform cheer before the entire squad made a dash towards the barracks (and the prison cells), leaving only Nami, Tumbo, and many confused Zora faces. 

“Princess…” Bazz guffawed, his black scales and helm reflecting the sunlight as he knelt down closer to Nami’s level. “How on earth…?”

Bazz couldn’t even finish his question. Nami could only shrug, “They like bananas.”

There was a moment of contemplation before the guardsman rose back to his feet, turned to his platoon and ordered, “Get all the bananas you can find and lure these cretins to the dungeons!” 

“Yes sir!”

“Good work, Princess,” Bazz praised once his platoon dispersed. “But please, stay out of danger from now on.”

Nami looked up at the guardsman, and instead of agreeing to follow directions, she proposed a different question: “Why do you keep calling me princess?”

The question seemed to catch Bazz off guard. He stumbled over his words momentarily before he finally asked, “You’re Prince Sidon’s daughter...aren’t you?”

Nami tilted her head to the side in deep thought. Officially, no...but technically…

She  _ was _ trying to figure out who her second dad would be since it was only a matter of when she would be able to say she had at least one…

A sly smile crept along Nami’s lips as she tucked her hands neatly behind her back, trying to act all prim and proper as she answered, “Yes! That’s right!”

Bazz smiled back at Nami and stooped his head in a bow, placing his hand on his chest, “Then you are my princess, miss Minami!”

Nami giggled back to the guardsman in return and waved him off as he left, igorning his insistance that she and Tumbo needed to find a place to hide. When he was gone, Nami triumphantly placed her hand on her hips and turned back to her best friend who now had his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed.

“Prince Sidon didn’t adopt you,” Tumbo pointed out suspiciously.

“Yeah but I’ve been calling him ‘Dad’ for the last three days and he doesn’t answer to anything else at this point,” Nami shrugged. “Maybe if the whole Domain calls me the princess then he’ll stop worrying about how I’ll feel about being a princess and adopt me finally!”

Tumbo’s arms slackened slightly, “How do you know that’s why he hasn’t yet?”

“I…” Nami brought her hands together, poking her index fingers against each other bashfully, “I...may sneak into the palace sometimes and listen to what Dad and Grandpa talk about when I’m supposed to be asleep…”

“Minami!”

“Whaaat!?” Nami defended herself. “What if they’re talking about something important that I gotta know? If Prince Sidon’s going to be my dad and I’m going to be the princess then I need to know all the cool secret stuff! But all Dad has done is whine about how he’s not a good dad but helloooo! Is he crazy? He’s amazing!!”

Nami hadn’t realize she was growing more animated with her hand gestures until she accidentally smacked Tumbo in the eye, causing him to recoil and let out a tiny growl.

“Sorry,” she whined.

Tumbo shot her a glare but relaxed and suggested, “Let’s go find bananas.”

“Okay!” Nami cheered, really glad that she and Tumbo were on the same page about helping the others. They made a mad dash for the palace kitchen and grabbed as many bananas as their little arms could hold before they sprinted back to the fighting as quickly as their little legs could carry them. At first, the banana tactic was working well in their favor, but after a time, Nami was beginning to realize that there were way more masked men than they knew to deal with. 

Suddenly, they were all out of bananas. 

“Uh oh,” Nami grunted once she looked down at her empty hands. She turned to Tumbo who was staring at her in apprehension. She spun around a few times and realized that, suddenly, all those masked men that she had distracted with bananas were all coming back, and looking angrier than ever. 

A scream startled Nami and Tumbo out of their own skins and they spun around, only to freeze again when a much much larger masked man came stomping forward holding a crying Jeori up by the tail. 

“Alright enough with the distractions!” he barked. “Tell me where the Champion is or this one gets it!” 

The courtyard was so quiet, one could hear a pin drop. Nami felt her heart pounding in her chest. What did he mean by champion? Was he talking about Dad?

Feeling her gills flare out with one more bout of courage, Nami puffed out her cheeks and stomped forward, yelling, “Put my friend down! That’s an order!”

“Nami, no!” Tumbo hissed as several adults leapt forward only to be stopped by the other masked men surrounding them all.

“Oh? We have a feisty one, I see,” the larger one sneered. “And on whose authority might this order be on?”

“My dad’s!” Nami snarked. She earned several snickers from the other men, their heads bobbing slightly but the girl lost her temper as she stamped her foot and yelled, “He’s the Zora Prince and he’s going to stop you!”

That got everyone’s attention. 

Nami glared up at the masked man who surveyed the crowd. He finally turned his head back downwards to Nami and released Jeori. The girl splatterd against the ground, scrambled to get back to her feet, and ran to the nearest adult crying. Nami balled her little hands into fists, trying to keep from trembling as the masked man knelt down closer to her height and commented, “Oh? So we have a little princess I see? I was not aware that  _ the _ Prince Sidon had a  _ brat _ like you.”

Nami didn’t know what else to do so she continued to glare as fiercely at the man as she could, baring her teeth and letting out as intimidating of a growl as she could muster. 

The man chuckled, “I wonder what would happen if your father found you hung by your tail…let’s find out, shall we?”

_ That _ broke Nami’s composure and she let out a gasp. The man reached his hand forward as Nami tried to take a few steps backwards. The Zora that weren’t being forced back by other masked men tried to lunge forward, but even more enemies materialized out of nowhere and tackled them. Nami let out a whimper, tripping over herself as she fell backwards, shaking. 

If anything, she was glad she kept her eyes open, because in less time than it took to blink, a blur of red danced through her vison, knocking the large masked man off his feet. Before Nami could regain her composure and realize what was happening, Prince Sidon had tackled the man, tumbled on the ground tore through his flesh with his claws before he threw him off and picked up his trident that he had apparently dropped. He swung his trident at several approaching enemies, smacking them away with more strength than Nami knew a Zora was capable of. 

Prince Sidon bared his teeth, spinning around to meet the gaze of anyone who dared challenge him. His stance was low, his arms were wide, his trident gleamed in the sunlight. With one large gill flare Prince Sidon bore down and let out a furious roar. The sound was deep, menacing, and it echoed throughout all of the Domain. Nami wouldn’t be surprised if all of Hyrule heard his battle cry. At the very least, she was certain that even the Lynel would cower in fear at such a powerful and protective sound.

For a moment, time stood still as Minami stared up at the prince. The masked men that had challenged him a moment before now hesitated. Prince Sidon had always been very large compared to the other adults, Nami knew he was amongst the tallest of Zora. But now, in this moment, with every muscle flexed, every gill extended, every crimson scale dancing in the sunlight like a burning fire, he looked larger than life. 

He was her hero. 

Nami smiled to herself. 

He was her dad. 

Unable to contain the joy in her relief, Nami let out a giggle, smiling up at Prince Sidon. A loud snort escaped Sidon as he spun around, his teeth still bared and his golden eyes completely encasing barely visible pupils as his upper lip curled in disdain. 

“What are you doing here!?” He snarled. “Get out of here!” 

Nami felt her back stiffen in surprise, but she wasn’t about to disobey his order another time. Nodding her head feebly, Nami tried to grab hold of Tumbo and find a safe place to hide. 

Her moment of relief only lasted but a moment, however.

“That’s the princess!” one of the masked men yelled. “Get her!” 

Nami felt her blood run cold as she looked up at Prince Sidon. She watched as his pupils dilated slightly and his form stiffened, his snarl contorting into an alarmed expression. “No,” he growled. “NO!” 

Nami let out a shriek as she ducked her head and crouched down, trying to avoid Sidon as he lunged over her, fending off her sudden attackers.

It all happened so fast. One moment, she was underneath the mighty prince that was acting as her shield. The next, he was ushering for her to find safety. In another, she was running with a clear shot to the palace where several guardsmen were guiding her and trying to cover her from the onslaught. 

And then, in another, much more petrifying moment, the large masked man materialized out of nowhere and snatched Nami off her feet by the tail. She let out a scream, partially in pain partially in surprise. He quickly silenced her as he tucked her in his arm against his chest and held his blad against her neck, shouting, “One more peep out of you and you’re finished!”

Nami let out the start of a scream but cut herself short, panting and whimpering and trying to keep the tears at bay even though they were already falling down her cheeks. She watched with wide eyes as Prince Sidon spun around from his own battle, realizing what was happening as he cried out, “MINAMI!!”

“If you want your brat back then you’ll tell me where the Champion of Vah Ruta is!” the man demanded. 

Dad gripped hold of his trident a litttle firmer and lowered his stance, ready to attack, but two warriors who flanked him defied, “You’ll never find the Champion!”

The masked man responded by pressing the blade a little tighter up against her neck. Nami hissed from the sharp pain she felt and tried not to cry as she felt warm blood beginning to pool around the skin he had broken. 

“Wait,” Sidon stepped forward, slamming the but of his trident against the ground in an order to silence his men. “If I tell you who the Champion is, will you leave her be?”

“Prince Sidon, no!” several Zora hissed. 

“Isn’t that what I said?” the man snarked back. 

Prince Sidon bared his teeth and let out a nasty growl, but he reluctantly said, “It’s me. I’m the one you want. So just set the child down and settle whatever business you have here without harming anyone else!”

Nami kicked her legs uselessly, trying to claw out of his grasp but the masked man just held her tighter in his grasp. He let out a sinister chuckle. 

“Do you really think I’m going to fall for that trick?” the man sneered, “The noble, beloved prince sacrificing himself to protect the real hero of the story? Bullshit! If you want your precious little princess back then you’re going to have to at least come up with a better lie than that.”

“What?” Sidon’s composure broke suddenly. “I am telling the truth! I swear it!”

“Then prove it,” the man laughed darkly. “Bring the Champion to me over by Vah Ruta before sunset or she dies.”

Nami let out a gasp, her eyes darting towards the low-hanging sun in the sky. But sunset was only a few minutes away…

“No wait!” Sidon pleaded, reaching a hand forward. “Don’t do this!”

“Oh don’t worry, Prince Sidon,” the man let out his own snarl, “It’s my pleasure.”

In a sudden whirlwind, several papers with various seals and transcriptions written on them surrounded Nami and the man and they were transported far away from the courtyard of the Domain. Nami tried to wrestle out of the man’s grasp before she was taken away, but the bizarre transportation technique was to fast for her. All she could do was cry for help:

“DAAAAAAAAAAD!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BLAME DECAFE-FOR-CUTIE FOR THE SUCCESSIVE CLIFFHANGERS. 
> 
> (Granted, my arm didn't have to be twisted all that much to be a cruel author so...sorry not sorry... XD)


	12. Sidon's Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon was a proud Zora. It was his pride that held him keep a strong face even when staring death down. It was his pride that helped him survive for so long.
> 
> But his pride couldn't save Nami.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Sidon's not the one getting rekt then apparently its our hearts.
> 
> (I'm so sorry)

When Nami disappeared with the Yiga, Sidon felt the entire world come crashing down on him.

“No,” Sidon gasped, taking a step towards the spot where they had been. Air hissed out of his lungs through his gills as the other Yiga present also disappeared, likely heading to Vah Ruta. He couldn’t take it, it felt as if he had been punched hard in the gut. For the first time since the Great Calamity, Prince Sidon had to take a knee in front of his own subjects. 

He braced most of his weight against his trident, trying to keep from collapsing completely, but an enraged voice from one of the soldiers rang out pulling Sidon out of his doomed thoughts: “WHERE IS LINK!?”

Managing to take in another breath to get oxygen into his system, Sidon forced himself back on his feet and croaked, “He is with Seggin’s squadron defending Vah Ruta. Our forces are spread out too thin for their numbers.”

“But Prince!” One of the guards cried out, “What are we going to do!? They’re all going to Ruta and they have Princess Minami!” 

Sidon calculated for a moment, feeling his heart sink into his chest. 

_ “Bring the Champion to me over by Vah Ruta before sunset or she dies…” _

Sidon turned his head up towards the blazing red star in the sky. It would be nightfall soon.

“We don’t have much time,” Sidon began. He squared himself, prepared for the worst before he turned to face his people: “Torfeau! Take your squadron to the palace and guard the King with your life. The rest of you, join Link and defend the divine beast; defend the domain!” 

Sidon wasn’t used to his people hesitating to his orders, and yet a bout of uncertainty rippled through the crowd. 

“But…” one young soldier stepped forward, her eyes shielded by the helm on her head, “What about Nami?”

Sidon felt a lump form in his chest as he forced himself to speak, “I will take care of Nami.”

The prince braced himself for the outcry that he knew would come, but he hadn’t expected such a violent reaction.

“What!? But Prince Sidon he could kill you!”

“They want to kill the Champion you can’t let them!”

Sidon felt his lip curl in a snarl as he barked, “There will be other champions! Right now my priority is protecting the beast, protecting the Domain, and  _ protecting the Princess! _ ”

“You can’t do this!” Bazz tore through the crowd, even so daring as to grab hold of Sidon by the shoulders and shaking him with his plea. “You can’t just go there to die!” 

“Bazz, you will unhand me and that is an order!” Sidon snapped back, “Stop this!” 

“But Prince!” Bazz begged, and several shouts and cries in agreement followed him. “If you die--if you sacrifice yourself what will become of the Princess!? What will become of the King!?”

“Bazz listen to yourself!” Sidon roared. “Our entire way of life is being threatened by these banana-obsessed heathens and you’re only worried about _my_ _life_!?”

There was a moment of silence before Sidon watched several pairs of golden eyes widen in frustration and a uniform scream: “YES!” 

Sidon let out a hiss in frustration and he slapped Bazz’s hands away, taking a step back and ordering, “As Prince of the Domain your safety and well-being is my priority above all else! And for that I order  _ all of you _ to defend Link and the Beast and allow me to defend my daughter!” 

The arguing quelled after that, but Sidon had to tear his eyes away from the already mournful looks. Bazz’s voice nearly betrayed him as he ducked his head and muttered, “But sir...she’s already lost her parents once…”

“And on whose order faulted for that?” Sidon retorted, his words so venomous that Bazz flinched away. Sidon heaved a sigh, trying to mentally shield himself but finding that he was unable to keep from trembling with his own fears. “The least I can do is guard their child, even if it means in exchange for my own life. She will be a Princess you all can look to. One you all deserve. One like Mipha…”

Sidon trailed off, realizing that it wasn’t just Bazz he was speaking to. Sidon took another breath, trying to ignore how wet and sad the eyes looking to him were in this moment as he continued, “So please, if this is my last request, I beg of all of you to guide her, believe in her. She will make you all proud; I know this because in the short time I have come to know her and love her, living long enough to see myself become her father is the greatest honor I have ever known.”

The crowd was slow to form their ranks, but once they did they snapped to attention after just a few simple, short commands. Some cried, others steeled themselves. Sidon looked to Bazz for a moment, and the soldier saluted his prince before barking commands to get his troops to where they needed to be. After they took off, Torfeau looked to Sidon with tears streaming down her face awaiting orders.

Sidon couldn’t bear to wait for her to speak. He regretted how his voice betrayed him as he managed to say, “Please...when this is all over...send my father my deepest apologies for me. I can’t bear to break his heart like this but…”

“My Prince,” the woman whimpered. She stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Such apologies would be much better uttered from your own lips.”

Sidon flinched at her touch and he stared down at the woman, his own eyes threatening to tear up from the love he had earned from his people as he stared down at the strong resolve within her gaze. She steadied him as she steadied herself and said, “So even though it’s not my place to, as a Commander of the Zora Warriors, I order you to come back alive. It’s the message your father, the King, would say if he heard your nonsense.”

Glancing down at the woman, Sidon felt a grin form on his face. He could remember when she was but a child, twenty years younger than he. He could also remember how she had been so elated to go on a mission with him to find a Hylian to quell Vah Ruta that he worried if she would take her duties seriously. And yet here she was, barking an order at  _ him _ in place of his father. 

An order that he sorely needed to hear. 

“Yes ma’am,” Sidon bowed his head, placing his hand to his chest. “I will do all that I can.”

Once Torfeau took her squad to the palace, Sidon ran as fast as he could to the river flowing to Ruta’s reservoir and he dove into the water. 

No matter what, he had to save Nami.

He just didn’t know if he could get the both of them out alive.

 

* * *

 

Link ran his sword through another Yiga, killing him instantly before he could stand up and wipe his brow with the back of his hand, the master sword gleaming in the receding sun. They had driven the enemy a considerable distance away from Vah Ruta, and they were retreating still.

Something about this seemed too easy…

“LIIINK!” a Zora soldier called out as he and several more flanking him leapt out from the river’s current and landed on the ground. “Master Link! Prince Sidon sent us to assist you! But I regret to inform you that the Yiga that were in the Domain have turned to the reservoir to take Ruta!”

Link fought hard against the force of his own throat closing every time he tried to speak, managing to blurt out a short phrase: “Where’s Sidon!?”

The Zora froze, looking down. “That’s just it sir…” he began, “The Yiga they...they took Princess Minami and are demanding the Champion come forward in exchange for her life. He’s...dealing with that now.”

“No,” Link spat. No no no no no, this could not be happening. 

Not again.

Steeling himself and trying to keep his heart from racing in his chest, Link looked up at the Zora soldier and to the others that were arising from the river. “You all. With me.”

“Yes sir!” 

Link took off back towards the reservoir as fast as his legs could carry him. He had driven the other forces up one of the steep cliffsides overlooking the domain, hoping to push them towards Eldin where the boiling terrain could take care of the rest. So as he ran with several Zora swimming down the river at his side, he could stop in placed that overlooked the reservoir, where Vah Ruta uselessly rested.

What the hell was Sidon even thinking!? He may have been strong but he couldn’t take on an entire army of them alone! He may have been the prince and the Champion but that didn’t mean he was allowed to bargain with his own life!

It was clear to see now that the Yiga had learned a thing or two, and they had set a trap. A trap that Link and Sidon had so easily fallen into that now left Vah Ruta wide open for the taking and Sidon at the mercy of murderous intent. 

And there was no way in hell that Link could suffer through the pain in knowing that he had allowed for  _ both _ of King Dorephan’s children to die. 

A world without Mipha was gray and dull and some mornings not even worth getting up to face. But there was no way in hell that Link could even live in a world without Sidon.

 

* * *

Sidon breached the surface of the water and found the Yiga standing at the shore, holding Nami against his chest.

The girl was crying, not even trying to be strong and contain her sobs like she had been before.

Sidon let out a low growl. 

That bastard would pay for threatening and hurting his little girl like this. 

“Let the child go!” Sidon ordered.

“Give me the Champion first,” the Yiga retorted.

“For the last time,  _ I _ am the Champion,” Sidon snarled, baring his teeth. “Like my sister before me I, and I alone have command over the Divine Beast. It responds to my call and mine alone.”

“Hmph,” the Yiga grunted. “Then why haven’t you used its cannon to blast me yet?’

Sidon felt the bruise to his ego already beginning to form.

The Zora Prince had always been a proud man. It was his pride that carried him onwards to the next day. It was his pride that kept him from showing weakness in front of his people, even in the darkest of days. 

It was also his pride that he had to swallow every time he walked into the damn beast that killed his sister. In place of trust, he only ever just felt at the mercy of Ruta’s power. 

“I am the one you want, is it not?” Sidon spat back. 

“You’re seriously going to try to get on with this charade?” the Yiga laughed, waving his sickle dangerously in front of Nami’s face. “Do you not think I’m being serious when I say this is an equal exchange? A life for a life? Either she dies or the Champion does!”

“Prince Sidon, no!” Nami managed to cry out, her legs kicking in protest. 

“I-It’s okay, Nami,” Sidon turned his attention to the child, trying to feign a smile and believe what he said next: “Everything is going to be just fine!”

“But--!”

“Hey Prince Sidon, watch this!” The Yiga chortled, looking annoyed that Sidon’s eyes weren’t on him. With the thumb and index finger of the hand holding onto Nami, he pinched one of her barbels. 

And he pulled. 

Sidon lunged forward but was frozen when the Yiga pointed the sickle back at Nami. The girl screamed out in pain, gasping for air in between. The man only continued to grasp onto her barbel with more force, causing her screams to increase in pitch and volume and Sidon felt his heart stop in his chest as he watched, helpless to save her as she writhed in pain.

The Yiga finally released Nami from the torture and stared up at Sidon, whose pride kept him from sobbing for his child’s pain.

“ _ You bastard _ ,” Sidon spat. 

“She has a beautifully long tail,” the Yiga sneered. “I could give it a good yank and see how long it takes until she bleeds out from the inside.”

The Yiga stared Sidon down, waiting for the prince’s next move. It was becoming very apparent to Sidon that he didn’t have any room to do so. 

His pride was how he could look the threat of death in the eye, thank his enemies for being such worthy opponents, and force himself to take every chance that was given to him until he took the day.

Pride was what kept his father alive, if for no one’s sake but Sidon’s, when they lost his sister and his mother within the same year. 

But pride wouldn’t save Nami. 

Not now.

“It’s a life for a life, yes?” Sidon croaked. The Yiga nodded slowly. Rising from his battle stance, Sidon let go of his trident, allowing it to fall on the ground. Slowly, he raised his hands to surrender. “I’m all yours. I just ask that you release her and don’t do anything to me until she is back to safety. Just please...don’t hurt her, don’t make her watch.”

“Hmmm,” The Yiga tilted his head in thought, his grip tightening around Nami. The poor girl was so overstimulated from her previous torture that she couldn’t muster the strength to open her eyes. Sidon wondered if that was a good thing. “You know what? No.”

“What?” Sidon gasped. “I’m surrendering myself to you, what more could you want!?”

“You,” The Yiga breathed. “On your knees begging.”

Sidon fought back the uncontrollable urge to bite the monster’s head off. 

“I want to see the Proud Prince Sidon, The Fastest of all Zora, the Great Force of the Typhoon on his knees  _ begging _ for mercy!” The Yiga sneered. “Then  _ maybe _ I will let the girl go!” 

“What will it take for you to just release her!?” Sidon begged. 

“For you to do everything that I say,” the Yiga chuckled. “Not because I have a vendetta against you or anything, don’t you worry, you’ve done nothing wrong. I just think it would be a funny story to tell the boys back home while we mount your  _ tail _ to the wall.”

For a long, contemplative moment, Sidon didn’t know if he could do that. 

He was the Zora Prince. He bowed to no one but his father. This cretin didn’t even deserve to bare witness to him kneeling on the ground. He was too proud for that.

...but pride wouldn’t save Nami…

Sidon felt his hands fall limply to his sides. What other choice did he have?

“Nami,” Sidon said in a low voice. The girl weakly looked up at him, tears running down her cheeks.

“Don’t,” she croaked. 

“You’re taking too long,” The Yiga prodded, pushing the point of his sickle to Nami’s neck. Sidon hissed as it drew a bit of blood.

“Just give me a moment!” Sidon cried out. “Please, I am begging you!”

“Now that’s more like it,” the Yiga snarled, “Now hurry up and kneel!”

“Nami look at me,” Sidon dared to say again, fighting to keep his voice even. Tears stung in his eyes as he forced himself to speak, “I’m sorry that I took your parents from you…”

Nami started to perk back up, and the prince wondered if she realized what was happening as she began thrashing about. “Dad, no!”

“Nami please!” Sidon pleaded. “Don’t fight. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good enough father to protect you, and I’m so sorry that I must place this burden on you. But Nami…”

Sidon bit back a sob as he took a knee and looked up at the one person alive in the world besides his father that he would ever bow to, “You will be a greater ruler than I could have ever hoped to be. The day you become Queen will be a day that I long to rejoice for.”

Watching the girl cry out for him was never something he ever wanted to see, but watching Nami’s pupils contract in a blind moment of fury as she made her next move would be one that haunted Sidon’s nightmares for the rest of his days.

She let out the tiniest but most ferocious growl Sidon ever heard in his life and she  _ bit _ the Yiga. 

Sidon flinched at the sight of the Yiga howling and leapt back up to his feet, crying out, “Minami, no!” 

“THAT’S IT!” the Yiga snapped, raising his sickle and striking down on the child. Sidon lunged forward, trying to stop him but he knew, he knew that as the world before him slowed down, he was too late. 

“NAMIIII!” Sidon cried out, seeing images of her lifeless form dance across his mind’s eye. 

Then suddenly, something struck him. 

It grazed his shoulder with such a force that Sidon was thrown to the ground, the water of the tides turning crimson as he hit the ground and his entire body seizing up with pain. His ears rang and he could barely make out the sight of a red light piercing through the Yiga as he fell backwards and dropped to the ground, dead. 

Sidon lifted his head in a daze, only regaining focus when he saw a small blue form hit the water in front of him, unmoving.

“Nami,” Sidon wept, scrambling to his knees and crawling forward despite his body’s protest. Warm blood dribbled down his chest from a deep wound on his shoulder, and his arm could barely move without blinding pain but he didn’t care. “Nami!”

He reached the little girl and put a hand on her, turning her onto her back and lifting her up in his good arm. It was only then that the little girl let out a groan and sat up, her eyes fluttering open in a daze for a moment before her head shot upwards towards Sidon and she cried out, “DAD! You’re hurt!” 

“I’m okay!” Sidon insisted, forcing his injured arm to assist his good one in lifting Nami up by the armpits, inspecting her. “Are you hurt!? How’s your tail!?”

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Nami swatted Sidon’s hands away, her gills and fins flaring slightly in frustration and her tail moving about subconsciously just as it always did, with no other wounds except the small cut on her neck visible. 

She was okay.

“Oh thank the Goddesses,” Sidon whimpered suddenly, feeling so weak and exhausted as he pulled her into his arms. Nami stiffened in his grasp and she turned her head, lifting it to look at the wound on his shoulder. 

“You’re hurt really badly…” Nami whimpered, warm tears running off her face and hitting Sidon’s neck as she touched her hand to the trail of blood. 

“It’s okay,” Sidon insisted. “You’re okay.”

Sidon couldn’t hold back his sobs as he pressed his hand against the back of Nami’s head, rocking his body slightly as he sobbed. 

She was okay…! 

Nami wriggled slightly in his grasp and placed a firm hand directly on Sidon’s wound, pulling him out of his sobs as he winced in pain. The prince heaved, trying to take deep and even breaths while he looked up. 

A green light danced in his vision and he felt a warm hand gently touch his shoulder by Nami’s. It was so soft, so comforting, and it seemed as though all the pain in the world that Sidon had ever felt washed away with that simple touch.

_ “You’re alright now, Brother. No need to shed any tears…” _

Sidon blinked a few times and suddenly, he was a little boy having slipped on the rocks by the river. He was crying in Mipha’s lap as she healed him, and she nuzzled her forehead against his offering words of reassurance.

He always felt safe in Mipha’s arms…

Sidon snapped to attention and spun around, but no one stood behind him.

What did lie behind him, however, was a triumphant divine beast standing with its trunk raised and its tusks pointing in his direction. It let out a mighty trumpet before it lowered its trunk and its body, the end of the trunk coming down just a few feet from Sidon and Nami, a platform exposed in invitation.

“Ruta…” Sidon gasped in awe. “You saved us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RUTA'S LISTENING TO HIM YOU GUYS! 
> 
> (Also get ready for a shit load of Mipha flashbacks next chapter...)


	13. Mipha's Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon has finally earned Ruta's trust, but he needs a little extra help to be able to trust the beast in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ehehehehehehe~
> 
> Also, so sorry I haven't gotten to the 40 unanswered comments I've racked up. I swear I'll answer them all but in the meantime I would like to thank you all for your kind words!!

When Ruta brought Sidon and Nami up to one of its entrances with its trunk, the prince hesitated. 

The divine beast had saved his life and his little girl’s life...and yet…

Sidon forced himself to breathe. Ruta was not a place that he had ever wanted Nami to see. 

And yet, despite the fact that Sidon had gotten more acquainted with Vah Ruta than he had ever wanted to in his life, he was only just now coming to understand that the Divine Beast had a will of its own. And it likely had feelings too. It probably sensed Sidon’s disdain for it and yet the Prince had never once for a moment thought about that it felt to be piloted by one so spiteful towards it. 

He wondered how it felt to have lost Mipha all those years ago…

Sidon stepped inside the beast and was amazed as it responded to his presence. Smaller consoles that lined the beast lit up a bright blue, illuminating the inside of it in the darkness of the evening. The main control pain whirred to life, glowing the same shade of blue and intensifying as Sidon approached, staring up at it in awe. 

Nami gasped, her tail wagging in delight as she grinned, “It’s beauuutiful!” 

Sidon smiled, but was suddenly struck with a pang of nostalgia, his mind drifting forcefully back into a time when he too was a child amazed by the power of the great Vah Ruta, but mostly, he was amazed by the power Mipha had to champion such an incredible being. 

 

_ “Wow, Mipha!” Sidon cheered, running up and down the main level of Vah Ruta. “This is amazing!”  _

_ “Sidon, don’t stray too far!” His sister scolded. “Ruta is a gentle giant but you must still respect them. Stay close now.” _

_ “Yes, Sister!” Sidon grinned, staring up at one of the mechanical gears. He wanted to climb them really bad.  _

_ “And don’t climb up anything!” _

_ “Awww,” Sidon pouted. “But Miphaaa!” _

_ “Sidon,” his sister said gently, looking worn from his boundless energy. She smiled warmly at her little brother and held her hand out, “Come here. I want to show you something.” _

_ Sidon hummed contemplatively, hopping forward to take hold of his sister’s hand. She smiled warmly down at him and then lifted him into her arms, setting him down on the control panel. She placed a soft kiss on the back of his cressed, purring softly. _

_ “Okay,” she said, “Place your hands on on this panel.” _

_ “Mmkay,” Sidon nodded, placing his palms against the control. Ruta hummed to life, lighting up vibrantly. It startled Sidon for a moment, but he rocked back and leaned against Mipha as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him from behind. “Wooooah!” he grinned, feeling his tail sway against his sister.  _

_ “Ruta likes you,” Mipha smiled, nuzzling him gently.  _

_ Sidon let out a series of giggles, his smile widening as the elephant seemed to trumpet in response. He threw his arms into the air triumphantly and cheered, “And I love Rutaaaa!” _

 

Sidon jumped, stirring from the memory suddenly. The prince gasped and stared up at the control panel, blinking.

“Dad…” Nami gasped, patting her hand against his shoulder. 

“Stay close to me, now,” Sidon instructed, setting her on the ground. “Don’t wander off.”

Nami stared up at him anxiously, swaying from side to side as she glanced up at him with wide eyes, “No, Dad--”

Sidon kissed her forehead. “It’s alright now.”

Nami let out a soft grumble, but unlike Sidon had when he was a child, she stayed at his side, holding onto his leg for security. Sidon stared at the control panel and closed his eyes. If he concentrated hard, he could almost hear his sister whispering words of encouragement in his ear. He could almost feel her place her hands against his arms, leaning her head against him as she encouraged,  _ “Go on. You can do it.” _

Sidon leaned forward, pressing his hands against the control panel and breathing in deeply. Unlike his last several attempts inside the beast, Vah Ruta came to life, the entire inside of the beast lighting up. Ruta rocked back on its heels and raised its trunk, and Sidon gripped the control panel and felt Nami dig her claws into his leg for stability.

“Alright, Ruta,” Sidon said. “I may not be my sister, but I will do what I can to keep you safe from the enemy. So please, if only this one time, grant me your power!”

Ruta trumpeted in response and suddenly a screen flickered to life in front of Sidon. And then another, and another, and the prince gazed in awe at the images of what appeared to be the outside of the beast. It was incredible, as Sidon saw several Yiga come towards Ruta’s foot, worrying that they would try to climb up, the beast lifted that foot and stomped its way out of danger. As he turned to another screen showing several Zora being cornered by Yiga, Ruta came to their aide before he even thought of how to save his comrades by shooting a torrent of water out of its trunk, drowning out the Yiga but saving the Zora. 

“Incredible,” Sidon gasped. It had been so hard to get Ruta to respond to him before, and now it was as if he and the beast were one. 

 

_ “Ruta is not a weapon, they are a living creature with a will of their own,” Mipha explained, resting her head on Sidon’s shoulder. “They do not let just anyone serve as the Champion. Only those who can act selflessly in the face of danger are deemed worthy of piloting Ruta.” _

_ “Woah,” Sidon smiled up. “But how does Ruta know who can pilot it?” _

_ “Ruta, like all the Divine Beasts, have an ancient power to see into our hearts. They do not seek out those who are worthy to be Champions, but rather those who have the potential to prove their worth one day,” Mipha explained. She planted a firm kiss on his cheek, causing the young prince to giggle in response. “And it would seem that Rutat thinks you have such potential.” _

_ “That’s amazing!” Sidon guffawed. “I hope I can make you proud and do that one day, Sister!” _

_ “Oh, Sidon,” Mipha sighed contentedly, “You already make me so so proud. But perhaps...perhaps one day when I am Queen, you could take my place as Ruta’s Champion? Would you do that?” _

_ “Of course, Sister!!” _

 

Sidon opened his eyes again, feeling a sad smile cross his lips. 

She never did live to become the Queen of the Zora, however…

“Mipha,” Sidon sighed aloud. “You will  _ always _ be the queen of my heart. I hope I can be a Champion that will make you proud.”

_ “Sidon…”  _ Mipha’s voice rang in his ear loud and clear. Sidon stiffened, looking over his shoulder. A familiar green light danced through his vision like soft embers, but just as logic had told him would be the case, his sister was not at his side like his imagination was trying to tell him.  _ “You have always made me proud. You have earned Ruta’s trust, I just hope you can learn to trust them again…”  _

Sidon squinted, her voice felt so real and yet he knew it could not be true. Perhaps the words he was hearing were the words he would know she would say. 

Real or not, Sidon couldn’t help but look back to the projections in front of him and nod, “I will do all that I can, dear Sister.”

Sidon sent Ruta forward to drive off what was left of the Yiga Clan. As it shifted its weight, Sidon had to grip onto the console tightly and Nami teetered to the side, losing her balance as she side stepped to try to stay afoot, tripping and drifting away from Sidon.

“Nami, are you alright?” Sidon asked, chasing after the off balance little girl without trying to fall over too much. He failed and fell forward with a grunt but managed to scoop Nami up. 

“This is so cool!” Nami cheered when she looked up at Sidon. The prince smiled down at her and then stood as Ruta became more level and returned to the console. This time, Sidon did like his sister would and set Minami down to sit on the panel. Nami’s tail wagged in fascination and she pressed her hand against the console and Sidon felt both his tail wagging in amazement and his heart sinking in distress as Ruta hummed and glowed just a little brighter in response to the girl’s touch. 

“Ruta likes you,” Sidon noted, caressing her tail. 

Nami giggled, “And I love Ruta!” 

A tightness clenched Sidon’s heart and he pulled the little girl closer to him. 

He instructed Ruta to move, keeping one hand on the console and the other around Nami. Something warm pressed up against him, wrapping tightly around his waist and Sidon had to close his eyes and will his imagination to still.

_ “You’re doing wonderfully!”  _ Mipha’s voice rang loud and clear, it almost felt real. And yet Nami stared ahead at the screens before them giving no indication that she could hear the tricks that Sidon’s mind was playing on him.  _ “Just a little more and you will have driven the Yiga Clan away!” _

“Go, Dad, go!!” Nami cheered. “Goooo Rutaaa!” 

“Hold on, little one,” Sidon said, curling his arm around Minami’s waist. He watched the screen as his men moved to the rear of the beast, flanking it and leaving him free to fire at the Yiga. “Ruta! Blast them away!”

Ruta lifted it’s trunk, giving a mighty trumpet before it shot its lasers from its trunk. The entire beast rumbled as it discharged. Then it fired again, and again, and it didn’t feel like Sidon breathed until the screens began flashing bright green and a victorious line of text flashed along the console. 

Sidon released Nami and the console, taking a step back, his head spinning. 

“We did it…” he gasped. A smile crept on his face as the voices of his people cried out in victory in the distance. “We did it!”

“Yeaaaah!” Nami yelled, swinging her arms into the air. She stood up on the console and jumped off, running into Sidon’s arms. “You did it, Daddy!!”

“WE DID IT!” Sidon screamed, spinning Nami around as he pulled her into a hug. He looked up and around the inside of the beast, that same green light dancing throughout the cavern. “Thank you, Ruta…”

Vah Ruta trumpeted, and for the first time in a hundred years, Sidon almost thought it sounded happy. 

A soft series of grunts caught Sidon’s attention as he set Nami back down and turned to face Ruta’s main entrance. Just as he registered who the noise belonged to, a small blond head popped up as Link pulled himself inside, panting and wobbling as he stood. 

Sidon felt the world stand still as Link looked up, his bright blue eyes full of tears. 

“You idiot!” he cried out, using his hands to finish, “You almost died!”

“Link…” Sidon felt his tail wagging profusely and his heart swell within his chest. His voice calmed Link’s anger, and the Hylian broke out into a smile as the prince proclaimed, “I did it…”

Link coughed, and it almost sounded like a well disguised sob. To Sidon’s pure amazement, in the outburst of emotion, Link took off running.

Towards him. 

He was laughing. 

Sidon too couldn’t contain his joy as he broke into a sprint, laughing heartily as he lifted Link by the armpits and bouncing him. 

Link’s laughter was contagious and riled Sidon up even more. Sidon couldn’t keep from smiling as the small Hylian fist-pumped the air and cheered so loudly the Goddesses would have known about the small victory on this day. 

And then Link did something truly amazing.

He pressed his hands to either side of Sidon’s cheeks and  then pressed his forehead to Sidon’s, cheering over and over again and giving Sidon the once in a lifetime chance of hearing and memorizing that beautiful voice, “You did it! You did it! I knew you could!” 

Sidon’s cheeks hurt he was smiling so bright, and in one swift motion he nuzzled Link gently before moving his head back so he could pull the Hero in a mighty embrace, spinning around as Link’s feet kicked excitedly and his ears twitched endlessly.

“Wait,” Link said suddenly, and Sidon felt his back muscles stiffen. 

Then it suddenly occurred to Sidon what he was doing. 

He was  _ holding _ Link.

In his  _ arms _ .

He had  _ nuzzled _ Link like he would nuzzle a child or a parent…

...or a boyfriend…

“Uh!” Sidon jumped and loosened his grip. Link lifted his head, bracing his hands on Sidon’s shoulders as he stared at the prince for a moment before his own realization dawned on him and he turned redder than Sidon’s scales. 

Nami grunted and the men swiveled their heads to face her. The girl was staring up at them, her golden eyes sparkling and Sidon didn’t know how, but he could somehow just  _ tell _ that the gears inside her head were turning.

“Um,” Sidon grunted again, dropping Link like a potato. Link shook himself as he landed and recovered from whatever daze he had fallen in by scooping Nami up into his arms as best he could considering she was half his height. He stooped down and blew a raspberry on the top of her head and whatever Nami had been thinking washed away as she dropped her head and giggled.

“Liiink stoooop!” she laughed, not sounding very serious.

Link lifted his head, smiling down at the little girl and Sidon could have just stayed there watching them interact for the rest of his life. The Hylian finally looked up and he inspected Sidon, his brow furrowing. “Now hold on,” he signed.

Sidon felt his back stiffen and his heart race with the skepticism that Link looked at him with. He stepped around Nami up to the prince. He lifted his hand and gently touched it to his shoulder, gently swiping his fingers along the skin before he signed, “I saw Ruta fire its lasers. I saw you get hit. You went down. I was so scared and yet…”

Link’s hans slowed and his brow furrowed. 

“Oh,” Sidon grunted. He smiled and assured, “I’m alright. The beast merely grazed my shoulder so I--”

As Sidon turned his head, he paused. He hadn’t felt the pain in his arm since they reached Ruta. And as he glanced at where his wound  _ had been _ he could still see dried blood stains covering his front, surrounding a patch of clean skin that should have been sliced open.

He was healed. 

“What?” Sidon gasped, looking around. 

The green lights.

Mipha’s voice.

“That’s impossible…” he said to himself. “How did I heal?”

“Um,” Nami took a hesitant step forward, looking at the ground anxiously. “I...tried to say before but…”

“What is it?” Sidon asked, kneeling down and holding his arms out for her to approach. Nami stepped into his arms, pointing to a smaller scratch near his bicep that broke up the pale coloring with blood. 

“I think I can…” Nami didn’t finish, but instead her eyes flitted upward for a moment. She took a breath, closed her eyes, and touched the wound with her hand and Sidon felt his heart stop and his eyes tear up as a faint light pulsed outward from her hand and onto his arm. Right before his eyes, for the first time in a century, the tiny scratch disappeared. 

“You can heal,” Sidon whimpered, taking Nami’s hand in his. Minami looked up at him in alarm but he could only smile and tearfully ask, “How can you do that?”

Nami shrugged, “I was really scared when I saw you bleeding...and you looked like you were hurting really bad but then a voice told me to touch your shoulder and think about how much I love you...and then you were all better.”

Nami’s blunt honesty was a gift that only children as innocent as her had the courage to share. The green embers still swirled and danced around the inside of Ruta. He blinked away his tears and felt a hand on his back, though this time he knew for a fact that it was Link’s.

(And he tried so hard to ignore how Link rubbed gentle circles along his spine, he really did…)

“Mipha’s Grace,” Link said aloud, blinking as a small tear traced his beautiful little cheek. 

“Do you think she…?” Sidon tried to say, but a sob that threatened to come out cut him off so he merely pulled Nami into his arms to calm that anxious expression in her eyes. Link traced his hand to Sidon’s shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. 

“She's here,” Link nodded his head. He removed his hand (to Sidon’s secret dismay) and signed, “But I think Nami has had this in her all along. She had to have...Mipha just guided her. At least it's nice to think so.”

“Wow,” Sidon hugged Nami, who wrapped her arms around him in tight hug back. It was all he could really say. “Remarkable. You are truly remarkable, Minami.”

“Really?” she grinned up at him, relaxing suddenly.

“Yes, really,” Sidon smiled warmly.

“Sidon,” Link said, grabbing the prince’s attention. Sidon looked up at him and watched as Link signed, “ _ You _ are remarkable.”

Sidon heaved a sigh at that, ignoring the way his heart fluttered and his tail swayed briefly before he grabbed hold of it and pressed against his shoulder and hoped no one noticed. Link shuffled his feet slightly and if Sidon had looked up he would have seen the way his pink ears twitch nervously. 

A soft giggle and a tail smacking against him drew Sidon downwards to little Minami who was staring up at him with wide, sparkly golden eyes.

“What?” Sidon asked.

A small grin exposed her pearly white shark teeth and she swiveled her head over to Link who immediately jumped within her gaze. Nami blinked a few times and suddenly her head whipped back to face Sidon and that grin just grew wider and the prince tried to keep from groaning at the dubious expression in her eyes. 

Oh  _ nooooo _ . 

Nami giggled, that tail wagging excessively as if she were intentionally trying to give him away. 

She knew.

She definitely knew. 

“Nami,” Sidon cleared his throat. “Let’s get you to the infirmary now, shall we?”

That dropped her smile and she groaned, “Whyyyyy!?”

“That blasted Yiga grabbed you quite hard by the tail and hurt those little barbels of yours,” Sidon cupped her little face in his hand as he explained, “I’d rather be safe than sorry and make sure that jackass didn’t cause any serious underlying injury.”

“Dad!” Nami shrieked, laughing at his use of profanity. “You said a bad word!”

“Well normally I would apologize,” Sidon scowled. 

“Sidon,” Link chided, giving the prince a playful gaze.

“Alright, I’m sorry,” Sidon deflated slightly. “Don’t use that language.”

“Okay,” Nami smiled. She stole a glance at Link and that smile only grew more sinister. 

“Alright let’s get going,” Sidon shot up to his fit real quick, taking hold of her hand. She walked at his side, skipping slightly as they made their way towards the entrance. Link strode up to the other side of Nami, sauntering in the handsome way only Link knew how. 

And then Nami looked up at Sidon, a twinkle in her eyes, and she took firm hold of Link’s hand. The Hylian appeared startled for a moment, but his expression melted into a sweet smile and wrapped his hand around Nami’s.The three walked to the platform that brought them down where many Zora waited excitedly. Cheers erupted as they hopped off the platform and onto the dock that Ruta had walked up to in order to drop them off. 

In the brief moment before they were all rushed with cheers and praise and hugs of relief, Nami squeezed hold of Sidon’s hand and dubiously whispered, “ _ Two Dads.” _

Sidon shot his head up and forced himself to look straight ahead to greet his people. 

Oh Goddess above he had unleashed a monster. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for listening to this emotionally intense message, we will now return to our regularly scheduled fluff and pining program. 
> 
> (Sidon is SCREWED)


	14. Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was finally time, and Sidon wondered why he ever doubted himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...you guys are gonna want some tissues for this one.

Despite settling their differences in the battle against the Yiga, Sidon and Ruta still struggled to see eye to eye.

Some moments were fine. The beast could easily read Sidon’s instructions and follow them. Other times…

Well, Vah Ruta was just down right stubborn and ornery.

Then again, what did that say about Sidon?

“Oh for heaven’s sake, you were behaving just fine a minute ago,” Sidon snarled, trying to keep from hitting the control console (he learned that if he made any abrupt movement the beast would just shut down altogether).

Ruta trumpeted in defiance.

“Vah Ruta, all I ask is that you--”

Ruta trumpeted again, though its noise was cadenced to three times and a warning screen flashed in his vision.

Oh.

It was giving him the time.

Like he had asked.

“Goodness,” Sidon scratched the back of his head. “Pardon me for being so foolish! Thank you!”

Ruta gave an annoyed snort but shut the console down on Sidon so he couldn’t tinker with it any more like he was prone to do. Trying to hide his annoyance at how well the beast knew him when he barely understood it, Sidon walked towards the platform and thanked Ruta as it let him down in the water by the reservoir.

He had many preparations to attend to before Nami was out of school.

Sidon grinned to himself, so happy that he couldn’t simply contain his joy and he did a series of backflips just to try and release all of his energy and his nerves.  

Today was the day.

In the months leading up to this final decision, Sidon had had several reservations about moving forward.

But now that it was finally happening, he didn’t know why they had been there.

The prince felt himself laughing, even with his voice muffled in the dark caverns under the Domain that led into the palace. How silly he had been!

 

_When they reached the infirmary, Nami was seen almost immediately. Most of the children had suffered minor bruising of the tail, but so far no serious injury had been reported._

_Sidon and Link both sighed in relief when the same was the case for Minami._

_As they stepped out of the room, Sidon took in a breath. While the children had been alright, many members of the guard suffered serious injury. Those of which that had been life threatening were saved thanks to the fairies the healers had on hand; nevertheless, the sound of a mother’s tears grabbed their attention._

_“Oh no,” Link hissed, taking a few steps forward to see what was the source of the cries. Sidon wanted to join Link since he_ was _the prince, but the child in his care held him back._

_But Nami charged forward to see what was happening so Sidon had no choice but to chase after her._

_“Please,” the mother cried, “Isn’t there anything you could do to ease her pain?”_

_“I’m sorry ma’am,” Sidon heard the healer say, “But the only thing we can do for the time being is keep her comfortable and hope for the best._

_The prince stood next to Link and felt his heart sink at who laid before him. A young Zora woman, one of the newest recruits of the guard. She laid there on a table, her face contorted in pain as she tried to keep strong, several horrible lacerations and burns lining most of her body._

_The mother saw him and looked up, begging, “Prince Sidon, please tell me there is something that can be done to help her! It’s been her dream to serve you!”_

_“And serve me well she has,” Sidon assured the woman, taking a hesitant step forward. “But I’m afraid that it was my sister who held the type of medical knowledge and healing that could give you some answers. I’m sorry.”_

_The mother tried to nod in understanding but she couldn’t contain her tears. Sidon felt horrible, but for all the guilt that weighed on him, Nami stepped forward and pulled him from his thoughts with one simple phrase: “I can help!”_

_“Minami, sweetie-” Sidon started but Link grabbed his arm and cut him off. When Sidon turned back to Link the Hylian gave him a stern yet reassuring look._

_“Let her try,” he whispered. Sidon nodded numbly, and then turned to Nami who waited expectantly up at him._

_“Go on,” He told her. Nami walked up to the Zora woman and held her hands hovering above one of the gnarlier burns. She stole a glance back at Sidon who smiled back at her before she took a deep breath and closed her eyes._  

_Just like before, her hands glowed a soft green - just as Mipha’s once did - and the woman’s back arched and she hissed in pain for a moment, but as Minami continued she relaxed, and the wounds turned to scars and the scars turned to smooth black scales once more. The mother stared down at Nami with amazement before her eyes darted to Sidon._

_“This is all new to me,” Sidon admitted shamelessly._

_“Amazing,” the healer gasped. “She has the same power as Princess Mipha!”_  

_As Nami lifted her hands she sighed, her little form teetering to the side slightly and Sidon’s heart leaped out of his chest when he saw her begin to fall. Thank the Goddesses for Link’s fast reflexes as he lunged forward and caught the little girl, her eyes bleary and exhausted._

_“Ow,” Nami rubbed her head, “I’m dizzy.”_

_“That was a large wound that you healed, Princess,” the healer noted. “It can be taxing for one of your first tries."_  

_“Mmhmm,” Nami nodded._

_Sidon exchanged a bewildered look with the mother before she turned to the healer and asked, “Could she come back tomorrow and heal the rest?”_  

_The healer shrugged, “Theoretically yes, but that depends on whether or not the Princess is up for it and if Prince Sidon will allow.”_

_“I will allow her to assist our people as much as she is willing so long as she doesn’t push herself too far,” Sidon nodded. “Minami, do you think you would be able to do that again soon?”_

_“Can I nap first?” Nami asked, sounding a little cranky. It was well past dinner time._

_“You can nap and Link will make your favorite meals,” Sidon chuckled._  

_“Can do!” Nami chirped._

_“Prince Sidon!” another guard stepped into the room, “The King has sent for you!”_

_“I’ll be there straight away,” Sidon responded before turning back to the healer, the young woman, and her mother. “I am grateful that Minami is able to help you.”_

_Link lifted Nami into his arms and tapped Sidon on the shoulder to sign, “I’ll take her home. Meet you there.”_

_“Oh yes of course, thank you Link!” Sidon smiled, sighing in content as he watched the Hylian and little Minami leave._

_“What a kind and capable Princess,” the mother noted suddenly.  “Thank you, Prince Sidon, you must be very proud.”_

_“Oh yes, she is--wait,” Sidon felt his entire being freeze as something finally clicked in his head. “You keep referring to her as a princess, why is that?”_

_Apparently the question was blasphemy because at least four more healers and three guardsmen_ and _Muzu poked their heads into the room and guffawed as if they didn’t believe that Sidon was asking a serious question._

_“What?” Sidon asked._

_“Sire, she’s been referring to you as her father for days now,” one guard noted. “Weeks perhaps.”_

_“We all thought you adopted her in private,” a healer shrugged. “We were a little sad that there wasn’t a presentation of the new princess but we figured this was different since she wasn’t born to you.”_

_“Also neither of you have corrected anyone when we’ve referred to her as the Princess,” Muzu snarked._

_“And you_ did _appoint her as your heir were you to fall in battle,” another guard added. “I was there.”_

_Sidon tried to hide his embarrassment in a guise of annoyance. None of them were_ wrong _per say...he just…_

_Hadn’t put that much thought into their actions._

_Well then._

_“Oh,” Sidon nodded. “Well...I apologize for the mix-up.”_

_“Oh but you are going to adopt her, aren’t you?” the mother before him was so bold to ask. “That little girl adores you to no end and the Goddesses know that she needs a strong parent such as yourself!”_

_“Well I--” Sidon blushed a deeper crimson than even his scales._  

_“And she would make an amazing queen one day! And a wonderful princess as well!” someone else chimed in. An echo of cheers and mutters of agreement bounced off of Sidon’s ears and he both deflated in defeat and felt a smile tug at his lips._

_“I can assure you all that Minami is already a wonderful princess,” Sidon heaved a sigh, relenting. “And the best daughter I could ask for.”_

_He flinched at the shrieks that came in response to his statement and for a moment Sidon felt bad that this was all occurring in a patient’s room until the patient in question lifted her head and excitedly asked, “Will there be a presentation!?”_

_Sidon froze at that. Presentations were special ceremonies reserved for when a new prince or princess was born. It was their first showing to the public and were considered both a sacred, and oh so exciting tradition._

_But Minami wasn’t an infant…_  

_“I will consult my father on that matter,” Sidon muttered before he about-faced and marched straight to the throne room where he was shocked to meet an enraged father._

_“SIDOOOON!” King Dorephan roared, causing Sidon to leap out of his own skin and reflexively duck as if something were being thrown at him. “What is this I hear about you having bargained with your life!?”_

_“F-Father!” Sidon stuttered, forcing a smile at the king before his head snapped in the direction of the Zora standing post, glaring them down. “Who told him?!”_

_“It doesn’t matter who told me,” Dorephan growled. “What matters is that you nearly died because of your own foolishness!”_

_“Father, I can explain--”_

_“Do you know what could happen if you were to die!?” Dorephan leaned forward, his gaze ice cold. “This kingdom would be without an heir!”_

_“This kingdom has Minami!” Sidon snapped back. “The Yiga captured her and threatened to take her life if the Champion did not step forward! What was I supposed to do!?”_

_At that, the ice in the king’s eyes melted into tears as he sat back, looking away as he grumbled his last bit of residual anger: “Then she would have been without a father all over again...and I...without a son, Sidon…”_

_The defenses that Sidon had drawn up had dropped suddenly, and he too felt the weight of his own actions._

_He had been so scared to lose Minami…_

_And yet his father had already lost a daughter once…_

_“Dad,” Sidon whimpered, taking several steps forward towards the throne, “I am so so sorry.”_

_Dorephan coughed up a sob before he leaned forward again, snatching Sidon up in his hand and holding the prince close to him. Sidon had been caught off guard by the motion, not used to his father being so careless with his movements since he had grown to such a remarkable size. He felt the air rush out of his lungs and Sidon coughed trying to breathe through the hug. But nevertheless, he rested his head on his father’s shoulder and relaxed._

_“I see now…” Sidon said after several moments of silence, “I see why you would get so upset with me when I would venture off so recklessly. Forgive me.”_

_“Of course I forgive you,” Dorephan blubbered. “Do you not think that I caused my own father the same amount of grief as a boy? It takes parenthood to be able to reflect on such things.”_

_Sidon chuckled at that, “I love you, Dad.”_  

_“And I love you, my boy,” King Dorephan sighed, finally setting Sidon back down. A twinkle sparked in his eyes once he did and the king asked, “So tell me, how do you plan to make the adoption official?”_

 

On any other day, Sidon might have groaned or tried to pretend that his father didn’t know him so well. On that day, however, he was so grateful that they were on the same page and could immediately begin preparations for the big day. She may not have been born into the family, but any royal child deserved a celebration to mark the beginning of their new life.

King Dorephan finally got to throw a ball for Sidon, though he did so under the guise of the Princess’s Gotcha Day. The ceremony and the adoption itself, for the sake of not overwhelming Nami, would be done only in the company of her caretakers over the years, the royal advisors, and two very important Hylians.

Princess Zelda had arrived the night before, ecstatic and full of gifts for little Minami. Granted, Sidon would be lying if he didn’t admit that seeing her with Link tore a hole in him.

Seeing the way they embraced so tightly, the way she looped her arm around his as they walked, the way their eyes glittered as they shared that special bond that only the Princess and her Knight could share, it suddenly made sense to Sidon.

Of course Link was fated to wed the beautiful Princess of Hyrule. Her smile was like the sun and his eyes were that of the daylit sky. It was only fitting, and Sidon would be forever cursed to admire from afar. He let himself weep in the comforts of his own sleeping pool that evening, but that was the only grief he would allow himself.

After all, this was a time of great celebration and Sidon was about to realize one of the greatest blessings of life:

Fatherhood.  

He met Link in the great hall where the ceremony would take place. The plan was for Midra to pick up Nami under the guise that she was staying the week with her (as she had been so Sidon could get his home - _their_ home - ready) and then she would be led to the great hall of the palace where Sidon would surprise her. Link was helping hang decorations that would be used for the party later that night and it took every ounce of willpower to calm his fluttering heart.

He needed to get over Link if he were to preserve their friendship and be supportive of any pursuit and relationship with Zelda. Afterall, if anyone other than Mipha was worthy of wedding such a perfect man, it was Princess Zelda. Those two deserved a happy ending more than anything.

“Link,” Sidon greeted. Link smiled so brightly Sidon realized his new quest would be hard won, if at all. “How are you?”

“Good,” Link signed. “And you? You look nervous.”

“Extraordinarily so,” Sidon admitted. Link chuckled and placed a comforting hand on Sidon’s arm.

“Hey,” Link said softly before he lifted his hands to continue, “You have nothing to worry about. You’ve already been the best father to her that you could be. Now you’re just giving it all a title.”

“I suppose so,” Sidon nodded. “I just hope the headdress fits her.”

“It will,” Link assured.

“And that she isn’t too overwhelmed,” Sidon started to rattle. “Good heavens being in the royal family is a very public matter and not something that she’s used to what if she--”

“Sidon,” Link’s hand traveled down to Sidon’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

He knew Link meant it as a friendly gesture, he really did, but good heavens did that man know how to make Sidon’s nerves go into overdrive.

“So uh,” Sidon reluctantly tore his hand away. “H-h-how’s Zelda?”

“Huh?” Link grunted. 

“I mean, I’ve kept you away from her for this long,” Sidon laughed nervously. “Poor dear must be wondering why the hell you stay in the Domain for so long when you could be at home with her--”

“Sidon,” Link said aloud. And his confusion overpowered his anxiety and managed to carry his voice through the next sentence, “Zelda and I aren’t dating.”

“What?” Sidon gasped, appearing way too surprised. “How come?” 

Link smiled and laughed, signing, “It’s just not like that between us.”

“Oh,” Sidon didn’t realize he was twiddling his thumbs. “...do you want it to be?”

“Sidon!” 

“I’m just stating,” Sidon shrugged, his face heating up and he wasn’t sure if that was because he was embarrassed to be instigating this conversation with the love of his life or if it was because he was annoyed at just how much like his father he was. “She would be lucky to have you! Any man would!”

The color drained from Link’s face suddenly and Sidon realized what he had said as he yelped, “Woman! Any _wo_ man! Pardon me, slip of the tongue!”

“Oh,” Link’s voice was even quieter than usual as he looked down.

“Or man,” Sidon said again, kicking himself and wondering why the hell he was still talking. “Honestly any being in their right mind would find you quite alluring and I don’t withhold judgement all I wish is for you find love and happiness no matter who the person because Goddess knows you deserve it and…”

The prince trailed off, just _wishing_ he could put all the words he had vomited back into his mouth. He wasn’t sure if Link’s laughter was a good thing, but goodness he looked so happy. 

And relaxed.

Almost relieved even.

“Sidon,” Link patted Sidon on the arm, touching his hand to his chin as he smiled and signed, “Thank you. But goodness, I cannot believe that you are this nervous!”

“Well,” Sidon gulped. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit to himself that most of his nerves weren’t actually because he was about to become a father. “It’s a big life change I suppose.”

“You’ll be fine,” Link reassured, his hands doing that beautiful dance. “Come on, she’ll be here soon.”

Sidon followed Link numbly to where his father, Muzu, Kapson, and Zelda waiting as the rest of the audience chattering quietly while they waited. The Hylian princess ran up to Sidon and gave him the biggest hug she could muster, congratulating him in advance, “Oh goodness! This is so exciting, Sidon!”

“Indeed it is, thank you,” Sidon grinned.

“Are you nervous?” she asked him.

Sidon inhaled and laughed, “As nervous as any new father would be I suppose.”

“Midra is on her way,” Muzu announced, “Prince Sidon, do you have the headdress?” 

“Yes,” Sidon nodded, pulling it out of a satchel. The silver metallic jewelry jingled in his hand and he felt a warmth fill his heart. It had been so long since he had seen it.

He just hoped he could maintain his composure when he saw Nami wear it.

“Alright, everyone to your positions,” King Dorephan instructed. “Sidon, it’s time.”

Sidon nodded and within minutes Midra was guiding Nami into the room, already looking like she was about to burst into tears of joy. Minami’s head was on a swivel, looking around in confusion until her eyes landed on Sidon.

“Prince Sidon!” She cheered, running up to him. Sidon placed the hand holding the jewelry behind his back and reached out to hug Nami with the other as he knelt down to meet her. “Midra said she needed to stop by here but wouldn’t tell me why. What are you doing here? What is everyone doing here?”

“Well,” Sidon smiled so wide his cheeks hurt and his tail was about to fly off the back of his head it was wagging so much, “Midra brought you here because I have a gift for you.”

“What kind of gift?” Nami asked, her tail giving a curious sway to the side.

“Close your eyes,” Sidon instructed. Nami giggled as she covered them with her hands. Knowing her too well he chided, “All the way.” 

“Okay, okay,” Nami laughed. When Sidon was certain that she had actually closed her eyes he took the jewelry and fiddled with it for a moment to make sure everything was oriented the right was and then he carefully draped it on Nami’s head.

It fit like a glove and once he had fastened the clips on her side fins and tail he sat back and fought the lump in his throat that he just knew was going to come up. The spectators were much less successful in keeping their composure as some of Nami’s caretakers had already broken. Sidon had to take several deep breaths to keep from crying too soon so he could say, “Okay, open your eyes.”

Nami’s eyes fluttered open as she withdrew her hands to pat the new weight that was placed on her head. Her mouth twisted up in a confused frown and looked to Sidon, “What is it?”

“Link, will you hand me the mirror?” Sidon asked, feeling his voice shake. Link let out an emotional hiccup and Sidon couldn’t look at the Hero as he took the mirror and held it up for Nami to see. “What do you think?”

Minami’s mouth fell open, her eyes wide. Her instinctive reaction was a bright smile as she cheered, "It's so pretty!" but then Sidon could visibly see a string of thoughts settle in her head as her brow furrowed in confusion and she said, “...but...Laflat said that this kind of decoration was for princesses of the royal family…”

“That’s right,” Sidon nodded. He watched as a flicker of revelation sparking in the back of her eyes. “In fact...this specific headdress belonged to your aunt.”

“My…” Nami’s voice trailed off as her eyes widened and looked up at Sidon for a brief moment before her lip started quivering and she looked back down.

“Minami,” Sidon said gently, setting the mirror down so he could place a hand on her now trembling shoulder. “You are such a bright little light in my life. You shine more than even the sun and I cannot simply imagine how dull my life had been before I met you. I just wish...my only wish is that your parents could have seen how much you’ve grown in even these last several months alone…”

Sidon was starting to break. His voice shook audibly and threatened to crack at any moment. Nami coughed up a little sob and Sidon reacted by placing his other hand on her shoulder.

“But sweet thing…” Sidon whimpered, “if they could see you now they would be so so proud. And having you in my life is such an immense honor...so even though I am neither of the remarkable Zora that gave you life, would you still do me the honor of allowing me to call you my daughter?”

Sidon didn’t have to look to know that the room was without a single dry eye. He was at least thankful that for the most part, any and all sobbing was being contained because Sidon was just as much a sympathetic crier as he was already a bottomless pit of emotion in this moment.  

Nami usually ran her tiny little forearm over her face when she felt tears welling up, but this time she simply kept her hands balled up in fists at her side as she looked up with puddles spilling out from those bright golden eyes. Her lips curled back as she heaved and let out a sob, “I have a Daddy?” 

That finally broke Sidon.

The dam of his own eyes finally spilled over and he too felt himself gasping for air through his sobs. “Yes!” 

Nami’s sobs were somewhere in between laughter and screaming as she held her arms out towards Sidon, her tail wagging side to side indicating to anyone who didn’t know better that she was just simply overcome with joy.

“Come here, my Princess,” Sidon cried, pulling her into his arms as they wept together.

“I have a daddy!” She cried out again. “I love my daddy!” 

Sidon wanted to make a teasing remark to turn those tears into sweet giggles so she could regain her composure but he too was so overcome with emotion that he simply could not for several minutes. What finally did dry his eyes was the thought of tucking her into bed at night, every night from this day forward. The thought of resting her on his chest for as long as she would fit and allow him to, purring and nuzzling to their hearts' content to reaffirm their special, instinctual bond as father and daughter. The thought of introducing her to all his favorite books, all of his favorite places, all of his favorite family traditions, and how brightly the Goddesses smiled on their future.  

Sidon heaved one more time, finally pulling himself together as he wiped his eyes and looked down at his little girl, his tail wagging as he said, “Come now, it’s time to dry your eyes, Little One.”

“I’m just--” Nami whimpered. “I’m sooo happy!”  

“Awww,” Sidon grinned, kissing the top of her forehead. “Then let me see those beautiful eyes so I may dry them.”

Nami pulled her head away from his chest as Sidon finally rose to his feet. She rubbed profusely at her eyes, hiccuping several times before Sidon pushed her hands out of her face so he could more effectively wipe the tear tracks off of her cheeks. When reality finally set in and Sidon remembered that they were not the only two in the room, he looked up at his father who was still taking a moment to regain his own composure, as was most of the room.  

“The Princess,” King Dorephan announced as he struggled to keep his voice level, “Is home.”

 Nami flinched at the cheers that erupted from the audience, drawing close to Sidon as he turned to face everyone. He ran his hand gently over her tail and whispered, “It’s alright, Sweet Princess. Your people are so excited for you.”

Nami looked to Sidon with wonder in her eyes and he watched with the utmost joy as that smile grew on her sweet little face when she looked to the crowd. She giggled so brightly as she lifted her hand to wave at them with such confidence, Sidon wondered why he ever doubted she could handle the role that would be passed down to her.

Blood related or not, she was a gift sent from the Goddesses, destined to be a future Queen of the Zora.

But most of all, she was a princess worth waiting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dad Count: 1
> 
> 1 more to go!


	15. The Great Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nami claims she doesn't like reading, Sidon thinks that's preposterous, Link regains another piece of his memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....yeah I sure did just put in a major easter egg for my favorite author of all time and make him a Hylian. 
> 
> In my defense, Tolkien is the reason I am a writer today. SO! I could have beat my brain to come up with some original story for Sidon to read to Nami OR I could make Sidon and Link as big of nerds as me and Stephen Colbert are. 
> 
> Enjoy! 
> 
> (And maybe brace yourself for angst Link)

Even several days after the celebration, it still wasn’t fully sinking in. Sometimes he wouldn’t even think about it, it all came so naturally and honestly wasn’t much different than when he had watched Nami before. 

And then other times he would remember, and his heart would skip a beat every time he heard Nami’s sweet little voice call out, “Daddy?” 

“Yes, my sweet!” Sidon grinned as he turned to face her. She was leaning against the table, her arms strewn about.

“Is Link coming home soon?” she asked. 

Sidon sighed at that and glanced down at the stove he was currently standing at. Of all the joys of fatherhood and the skillsets required of it, cooking was one that continued to elude him and it showed when he saw how much Minami did not prefer his home cooking. 

“Sorry dear,” Sidon apologized. “Link has some business to attend to with Princess Zelda and my father.”

Nami giggled, “You mean Grandpa?” 

If Sidon’s smile could grow any wider, it somehow did, “Yes, he’s meeting with Grandpa and Zelda. He won’t be back until later so I regret to say that I will be attempting dinner tonight.” 

“Mmm,” Minami hummed.

“I know I know, Link has spoiled us both during his stay,” Sidon teased. “But he gave me a recipe to follow and said that it should be hard for even me to mess up.” 

Nami snickered, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she asked, “And have you?”

“Have I what?”

“Messed it up!”

Sidon scoffed playfully at her and redirected the subject, “So how is your homework, Dear Princess?”

“Uhhh,” Nami leaned back in her chair, smiling but avoiding eye contact. Even without speaking, she had answered his question.

“Minami,” Sidon chided, turning to face her fully. He placed his hands on his hips and continued, “You’ve had all evening to work on it, why haven’t you?”

“Because I have a book report to do and I don’t know where to start,” Nami groaned. 

“Well, have you read the book yet?” Sidon asked. 

“No,” Nami sighed. “We have to pick out a book but I don’t know what to pick. I hate reading!”

That statement startled Sidon more than he ever thought it would have. Well, to be clear he never thought he would hear such heresy uttered from Minami’s lips. He guffawed, sputtering as he gasped, “ _ My  _ daughter hates reading!? Nonsense!”

“Well it’s truuue!” Nami whined. “Books are so boring!”

“Ah!” Sidon gasped over dramatically. “Now, sweet Minami, I don’t believe that statement for a second! You just haven’t found your  _ favorite _ book yet!” 

That perked Nami up slightly, her tail twitching to the side. “...So do you have a favorite book?” 

“Oh of course!” Sidon grinned. 

“What is it?”

“I’ll show you after you eat your supper,” Sidon chuckled. He plated the food and brought their meals to the table. Nami scarfed her food down, though Sidon had a feeling that it wasn’t because it was as delicious as Link’s. She cleaned her plate in record time and let out a burp before she looked up at Sidon and announced, “Okay, I’m ready!” 

“Alright,” Sidon chuckled. “Come with me.”

Nami hopped out of her chair and Sidon led her to his room and to one of his many bookshelves that lined the walls. Most books he either had on loan from the royal library, or he had found on his travels when his father sent him out to meet with other kingdoms, or they had been gifts because it was no secret that the Prince of the Zora could read a book cover to cover in less than a day. It didn’t take much for him to immerse himself in special worlds whose magic surpassed even that of the Deku Tree.  

But there was one book that trumped every story Sidon had ever read. It was written by a Hylian scholar and professor over a hundred years ago and took the world by storm when it came out. Or rather, the three-part series that followed did, but this book, the humble little prequel shared a daring tale about a courageous little man named Bilbo. He was what the book called a Hobbit, and what fun creatures they were too! While the pompous elves and greedy dwarves and foolish humans were off picking their petty fights, little Bilbo sought out the comforts of home and the well-being of his dear friends. The story sucked him in, no matter how many times he read it, no matter how well he had every line memorized. It was his comfort book that he read when he was sick or having a bad day, and goodness did the worn binding and yellowed pages show just how much that was the case. 

But better than the book itself, was the dear friend who had gifted it to him when he was just a little boy. It was the first book outside of the royal library that he had read, and each time he had opened it since it reaffirmed his love for reading. 

It had been a few years since Sidon had pulled the book off the shelf, holding it oh so carefully as its fragile Hylian-binding struggled to hold out throughout the century. Sidon would rue the day he would have to go out and buy a replacement. He held it gently in his hand and blew the dust off the top. 

“It’s so…” Nami’s voice trailed off. “Old.”

“And tattered, yes,” Sidon said fondly. He looked at Nami with a sparkle in his eye as he explained, “But that simply means that it is well loved.”

“Woah,” Nami nodded, looking up at Sidon. He could tell by her gaze that she was not yet sold on the idea, but her tail gave a small wag to show that her curiosity had at least been piqued. 

“Come now,” Sidon motioned with his head, his own tail wagging with excitement. “It is time I introduce you to the wonders of Middle Earth.”

“What’s that?” Nami asked, following Sidon back to the living room. He didn’t answer right away but rather sat down on the edge of the sea bed that he laid out for Link to sleep on during his stay. However, he was certain his friend wouldn’t mind if they borrowed it as a prime reading spot. 

“Alright now, get comfortable, little one,” Sidon instructed once he was reclined, his head resting carefully up against the wall. Nami crawled up onto the sea bed and onto Sidon’s chest, resting her head on his shoulder so she could look down and see the pages of the book. Sidon balanced her on his forearm and held the book open with that hand, using his free hand to turn the pages. He looked to Nami and asked, “Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime?”

“Yeah,” Nami smiled. Sidon chuckled, clearing his throat.  

“Well then,” he said, opening the first page, “In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit…”

 

* * *

 Link was exhausted as he trudged back to Sidon’s. He wouldn’t have been surprised if Sidon and Minami had gone to bed already; if anything he was surprised to still see light emanating from the front windows when he approached. Even more surprising, he could hear Sidon’s voice booming at a peculiar tone, prompting Link to peer inside before entering.  

He was reclined on the sea bed with Nami propped up on his arm, her tail swinging side to side. Link smiled to himself, half tempted to pull out the sheikah slate and take a picture of the sweet sight before him, but as he moved, he caught a glimpse of the book cover. 

_ “The Hobbit” _

Link froze, his heart stopping in his chest. He had long been a fan of that little book but he was struck still at how familiar that specific copy looked. He took a step back, and suddenly it hit him.

 

_ As a little boy, Link only had three safe havens: his home, his music, and his books.  _

_ In his earliest years, he was the most talkative child his mother and father had ever seen. He could rattle their ears off and come up with fantastic tales to entertain his imagination. His mother was a music teacher and he could recall so many happy evenings singing along to her mini symphonies, and when she tucked him into bed they would read out loud together. They were some of the happiest days of his young life. But once he began school… _

_ He couldn’t explain it. He didn’t know why. He just clammed up. Shut his mouth. The teacher would call on him to answer a question and he’d feel his brow knit and his throat close up and for several painful minutes whenever he opened his mouth it felt like he couldn’t breathe, no sound, no word escaping his lips.  _

_ The news came as a shock to his parents, knowing how vocal he was at home. The teachers thought he was too stupid to be educated. His mother turned to homeschooling him, not at all believing what his teachers were saying. His father didn’t know what the hell they were talking about until he took Link to a royal banquet and he watched as the other kids ran up to him, excited and curious to play with the son of a royal knight. And there he watched as Link was helpless as he stared at the other children in horror, nearly collapsing from hyperventilation.  _

_ “What’s the matter with you, Son?” his father asked. “They’re just asking what your name is!” _

_ “I can’t--” Link heaved, “I can’t--!”  _

_ He was rushed out of the banquet early that night, and his mother wept when she heard what had happened. The next day he was sitting in front of a priest, a healer, anyone that his parents thought could help him regain his voice. It wasn’t until the elder of Hateno village stopped them and sighed, “It’s simple mutism. There’s not much more that can be done for him.” _

_ “But he’s spoken at home just fine!” his mother pleaded.  _

_ “It could be anxiety related,” the elder suggested. “It’s hard to say. There might not be much that you can do to help him.” _

_ Link was getting tired of causing his mother’s tears.  _

_ His father had taken it upon himself to try and “toughen” Link up to get him to speak outside the home. Their family became well known for social functions. He put Link back in school with the other kids. Suddenly the bullies that would pick on him and call him stupid and pull at his hair and ears in class would venture into his household whenever the smell of his mother’s cookies wafted into their noses. They would come in under the guise that they were Link’s friends, drag him outside and torment him there too.  _

_ Despite his parents’ best intentions, their efforts started to have the reverse effect. Slowly, Link started clamming up at home too, his words being reduced to short phrases. The day he couldn’t even bring himself to answer his mom’s simple question and her sobs that followed would be one that haunted his nightmares for the rest of his life.  _

_After that, his safe havens reduced from three to two._  

_ He lived for the end of the school days as he got older, because his father had started to give up on his toughen-up strategy and allowed Link to wander as he pleased until dinner time. There was a small wooded area that he would venture to, sneaking away as soon as the bell rang before his classmates could see him. When he got there, he sat down, pulled out his ocarina and played until the sun began to set.  _

_ On occasion, he would find a book to bring with him, but it wasn’t until a renowned professor of the Royal University published a mystical series about a world called Middle Earth that captivated all the children. It was a tale that no Hylian child could go through school without reading, but it was such a riveting tale that even rivaled the story of the Hero of Hyrule in terms of how excited the children got when they heard or read it. If boys weren’t fighting over who could pretend to be the Hero they were play fighting over who could play Aragorn, who could play Legolas, who could play Gimli. But even when they had matured enough to leave Link alone, he wouldn’t bother trying to partake in their activities.  _

_ They could fight to be the tall glamorous figures all they wanted, if there was any hero that stole Link’s heart maybe even a little too much, it was the brave and loyal Samwise Gamgee. Oh how he loved Sam. He was so loyal to his dear friend Frodo and so selfless and so caring. Sometimes, if Link closed his eyes, he could imagine Sam giving him words of encouragement to power through the tougher days. _

_ How he longed to find a Samwise… _

_ But, if there was a book that Link loved even more than Lord of the Rings, it was without a doubt the small little prequel about Frodo’s uncle. If there was anyone that Link looked to for guidance, it was Bilbo Baggins. How brave that Hobbit was. His adventure was not near as perilous as Sam’s and Frodo’s trek to Mount Doom, but had it not been for his brave steps outside of the shire, no other Hobbit would have found the courage to save the world. Sure, the others saw him as an oddball and he made several detrimental mistakes along the way, but that just struck Link as all the more endearing. To take those small steps, to face Gollum in a battle of wits and riddles, to stand up for his dear dwarven friends even when he was scared out of his mind, those small acts were true bravery.  _

_ The other kids always thought of the Hero of Hyrule as a dashing knight in shining armor that felt no fear, but Link saw it differently. True courage was found when you felt so terrified you couldn’t move (or in Link’s case, even speak), but still made the effort to push forward anyway.  _

_Link hoped he could even have an ounce of courage like Bilbo did._  

_ In any case, Link took the Hobbit wherever he went. He broke the binding and nearly tore out the back half of the book from reading it so much in the first year that he owned it. His mother had asked if he would ever want to replace his copy, but each time Link refused.  _

_ See, what his parents didn’t know is that he met the professor one day upon the hilltop reading his book and playing his Ocarina. He was a much more quiet and jolly looking man than Link had imagined, sighing in content as he smoked his pipe and scribbled notes down in his notebook. Link was confused when he saw an old man sitting in his spot and didn’t know who he was at first.  _

_ “Beautiful spot, isn’t it?” he said, inviting Link over. “Pardon me, I’m just passing through. Seeking inspiration for my next work.” _

_ Link took a few steps towards the man and sat down, pulling out his ocarina. Without realizing it, he began playing the Song of the Misty Mountain. To his surprise, the man sang along to the tune.  _

_ Link stopped and looked at the man, baffled. The man smiled and said, “I see you know my song. What an incredible skill you have with that instrument.” _

_ With a startled gasp, Link didn’t even think as he pulled his book out of his satchel and held it to the professor. He wanted so badly to tell him how much he loved him for writing such a beautiful tale, how much he wanted to be like Bilbo, how much he loved Samwise. And yet he couldn’t. _

_ “Oh?” the professor noted. “What a well-loved book, I see. But tell me, why can’t you speak?” _

_Link looked down, feeling his throat tighten even more. The professor’s brow furrowed._  

_ “You can’t,” he noted. Link shook his head. The professor hummed in thought before he added, “You know, they say that the Hero was mute.” _

_ Link perked up at that, furrowing his brow. _

_ “They say that his voice is taken from him so that he couldn’t take back his vow to defeat Ganon,” the professor commented. “Besides, mute or not, what really counts is what you do, not what you say.” _

_ Link could feel his eyes sparkling in awe as the professor gave a hearty chuckle. He smiled at Link and asked, “Would you like me to autograph that copy for you?” _

_Link nodded his head fervently and he watched in awe as the professor scribbled in elvish (which he was proud to say he had learned how to read): “Dear courageous one, may you find your home as comfortable as Hobbiton and your resolve as strong as the Hero’s.”_  

_ It was a message Link carried close to his heart, and one only he could read. And he wouldn’t trade that book for anything.  _

_That is, until his father brought him to the Zora Domain._  

_When he got older, his mother got hold of his diary and discovered that becoming a knight of the royal guard was one of his biggest dreams. While he was grateful that, despite how annoyed he was at her snooping, his writings proved to his parents that he was much more quick witted than his muteness led everyone to believe, it unfortunately renewed his father’s resolve to push Link out of his mutism. He began bringing Link on the safer, diplomatic missions with the King._  

_ Probably the only place that Link even liked going was the Domain, because that meant he could play with his new found friend, Mipha. Mipha was so kind and caring and patient. And her father’s library was so extensive. They found a book on sign language there, and it was through that where Mipha suggested he try using his hands and facial expressions to communicate in place of his voice.  _

_ But what Link was one to forget was that Mipha was also a princess, and on this visit she was busy training with her father. Which meant that Link had no one to play with while his father, her father, her, and King Rhoam were in meetings all day.  _

_“Sorry, Link,” Mipha frowned. Link shrugged, figuring he could just curl up in a corner and enjoy some peace and quiet while he read through his book for the ten thousandth time._  

_ “Link, if you would like you can come with me,” the queen suggested. She was a kind, tall Zora woman with a tail as long as her husband’s. Though while the king’s tail fin was parallel to his back like a whale’s and his features were softer, Queen Nerrissa’s tail looked like that of a shark and she had much sharper, broader, and at times even more frightening characteristics. Her warm smile juxtaposed her sharp teeth and maroon scales and Link wasn’t sure what to think of her. “My son is about your size and would love to keep you company.” _

_ Link complied, but discovered quickly that Zora must not have had a single clue of Hylian age and maturity, because while the prince was only a head shorter than Link, he had the maturity of a seven year old and the endless energy of a toddler.  _

_ “Wooooow!” he guffawed up at Link, his tail wagging and his sharp teeth gleaming in the light. Link took a hesitant step back. “I’ve never seen a Hylian before! What’s your name?” _

_Link felt his heart rate quicken, but the queen stepped in and answered, “His name is Link, sweetheart. He can’t speak very well, but that’s alright. He’s a good friend of your sister’s.”_  

_ Link fought back a scowl. He hated when adults talked about his inability to speak in front of him. He was mute not deaf, he could hear what they said about him just fine.  _

_ The prince lunged forward and forcefully took Link’s hand, grinning, “That’s okay! We can still play! My name’s Sidon!”  _

_ Link fought to keep a straight face as the brat drug him through every corner of the palace running him ragged. He was surprisingly strong too, nearly pulling Link’s shoulder out of its socket on more than one occasion.  _

_He didn’t know how to tell Sidon that he didn’t want to do any of what he was being strung around to do. He hated play fighting - it was bad enough losing to all the bigger Hylian kids since he was so small and scrawny as is, but losing to a Zora brat? Hell no - he hated role playing games even more._  

_ But it’s not like he could say any of that.  _

_ Sidon was rattling on and on and on and Link didn’t even noticed that his fuse had been lit until Sidon started trying to get him to play along with the role playing, despite the fact that he couldn’t talk. The kid was trying to give him parts to play like “the silent hero” or the “silent wise man” to continue the adventure, and the parts that required Link to speak, Sidon would just run behind him and use a different voice. In one of those maneuvers, Sidon was trying to direct him in a similar manner and tugged on his arm so hard that Link fell over. _

_ “Oh!” Sidon grunted, “Sorry!” _

_“STOP!” Link finally screamed, pushing the boy away as he tried to help him up. He didn’t even pause to look at the tearful expression on the prince’s face as he stomped away, found a quiet corner to read like he wanted to in the first place, and slid to the ground with a sigh._  

_ “Finally,” he said to himself as he pulled his book out of his satchel.  _

_ He didn’t get through two pages before he heard the sad pitter patter of Sidon’s steps approach him. _

_ Oh sweet Goddess above, why. _

_ Link snapped his head up to yell at the kid to leave him alone but instead of his nerves, the pitiful look on Sidon’s face and wet eyes shut him up.  _

_ “I’m sorry…” Sidon whimpered, rubbing at his eyes. “I didn’t mean to make you mad...or hurt you…” _

_ Link heaved a sigh, trying to be patient with the kid. He lifted his hand and haphazardly signed one of the few phrases he did know and say, “It’s okay.” _

_ “No it’s not!” Sidon stamped his foot on the ground as tears fell out of his eyes in the beginning of a temper tantrum. “I always do this! I always hurt my friends and no one ever wants to play with me because of it!”  _

_ Oh geez this was awkward.  _

_ Link hesitantly reached a hand forward and patted Sidon on the shoulder, not sure how to comfort him. But then again… _

_ Sidon wasn’t the only kid who had a hard time making friends. _

_ “M-me...too,” Link managed to choke up. Sidon looked at him through his tears and sniffled, his gills lifting so far off his side that he looked barrel-shaped for a moment.  _

_ “Huh?” he asked.  _

_ “I don’t…” Link nearly gagged on his own vocal chords and he was feeling light-headed just from trying to say anything at all. “Friends’re...hard…” _

_ Sidon sniffled again and his tail twitched to the side. He looked to Link with confusion before his eyes flitted downward and widened, his smile returning as if he hadn’t been crying just a minute ago. “Is that a book!?” _

_ Link blinked in confusion but nodded his head. His confusion was only heightened when Sidon tugged at his hands and pulled him onto his feet, cheering, “I gotta show you something!!” _

_ Sidon dragged Link to one of the back corners of the palace and through a set of double doors, opening up to the biggest library Link had ever seen.  _

_ “Wooooah,” Link gasped, staring at the masses of books before him. It was the greatest site he had ever seen. Sidon didn’t let him admire the site for too long because he was dragging Link through the different shelves pulling masses of books off and dropping them into Link’s arms, explaining the plot of each one and why they were all his favorite.  _

_After what felt like hours, just as when Link was getting immersed in one of the fairytales, Sidon trailed off and shrugged, “And that’s it.”_  

_ “What?” Link guffawed in disbelief. What did he mean!? _

_ “Those are all the books I read,” Sidon shrugged. “It’s all we got and I can’t get any new ones because Dad says I’m too little to leave the Domain. And books aren’t really a thing that we trade with other people.” _

_ Link frowned at that before he looked up and looked around. He had been so lost in Sidon’s excitement that he hadn’t realized that...they really did spend several hours in the library and Sidon had gone through just about every single book on the shelf. Link just hadn’t noticed because the boy knew where all of them were supposed to go and he put it neatly back and traded out for a different one when he was done giving the summary.  _

_ “You read all of these?” Link gasped, and he was so caught up in surprise that he didn’t realize how easy it had been to get the words out.  _

_ Sidon’s tail wagged excitedly, “Uh-huh! But I’ve never read that one before!” _

_ Link looked down at his own book that Sidon was now pointing at. He glanced at the worn out cover for a moment before he smiled and looked back at the boy.  _

_“Let’s read,” Link offered, holding the book out to Sidon. Sidon gasped at the book being held out to him and he smiled brightly before he cheered and dragged Link to one corner of the library before he told Link to sit down. Link wondered for a moment how Sidon would fit next to him in such a tight space before Sidon plopped down square on his lap and pushed all the air out of his lungs._  

_ He was obviously very young for a Zora, but good grief was he way too big to fit on Link’s lap. Sidon reclined against Link and it started to occur to him that this was probably how he sat with Mipha.  _

_ “Normally my sister reads out loud,” Sidon noted. “But is it okay if I try to read it? If you want me to be quiet that’s okay too.” _

_Link gave Sidon a nod, hoping the kid understood and Sidon grinned as he turned down and read through the first page._  

_ He was a remarkably fast reader, so much so that the only reason they hadn’t finished the book that night was because his father and Sidon’s mother were searching for them and pulled them away from the story and each other to go to bed. The next day they finished the book and Sidon was so upset that there wasn’t more.  _

_Link made a mental note to bring his copy of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring the next time his father brought him to the Domain._  

_ But it was what Sidon said next that shocked Link: “I think Bilbo’s my favorite!” _

_ “Why?” Link asked, almost incredulously. It came out of habit, from the way the other kids would turn their noses up at the hobbit characters.  _

_ “Because!” Sidon said with a smile, “he’s so brave for doing all that. He was so scared for a lot of the book but he cared so much about his friends that he went on such an amazing journey anyway. If I ever meet the Hero of Hyrule...I hope he’s just like Bilbo.” _

_ Link rose to his feet abruptly, catching Sidon off guard. Thankfully, his father and King Rhoam approached with the King and Queen of the Zora and Mipha with them to disguise Link’s shock as expectation.  _

_“Link, it’s time to go,” his father instructed._  

_ “Sidon, did you have a good time?” Queen Nerrissa asked. She then turned to Link and said, “Thank you so much for keeping him company, Link. He didn’t stop talking about you last night.” _

_ Link smiled back at the queen and scratched at the back of his head as Sidon chattered on, “I had the best time, Mama! I found a new book!” _

_ “Oh?” the King grinned, crossing his arms. “You’ll have to tell us all about it tonight.” _

_King Rhoam bid his thanksgiving and goodbyes to the Zora and Link’s father motioned him forward. Link started to leave, giving Mipha a hug before he turned back to Sidon who was now holding his mother’s hand._  

_ He had sworn once that he wouldn’t give up his book for anything.  _

_ But Link had access to endless books, and if anyone was worthy of safeguarding his greatest treasure it was the little Zora boy who loved Bilbo as much as he did.  _

_“Here,” Link said, holding the book out to Sidon. “Yours.”_  

_ “Huh?” Sidon looked to Link in confusion. “But that’s your book!” _

_“I think he’s giving his book to you, Sidon,” the queen said gently. Link nodded his head fervently and he smiled as Sidon lit up at the gesture._  

_ “Oh my gosh,” Sidon swiped the book from Link’s hands, carefully opening the already fragile pages. He looked up at Link for a moment before he threw his arms around him and cheered, “Thank you, Link!!! I’ll take great care of it!”  _

 

Link snapped out of the sudden flashback with a gasp, falling backwards square on his ass as residual memories flooded his brain.

Everything after that moment was still hazy, but he couldn’t stop cursing himself for forgetting the two most important people of his childhood in the first place, much less their shared childhood memories.

Mipha taught him how to sign. 

Sidon gave him a place for his voice to ring free before he himself realized it. 

Tears leaked out of his eyes, and despite how tired he was and how badly he wanted to go to bed, he rose to his feet and ran towards Mipha’s statue in the main square.  

He fell to his knees, hyperventilating. 

It hadn’t taken him long to remember his favorite childhood book and acquire a new copy in one of the small bookstores of Hateno Village during his travels. Just like as a boy, reading Bilbo’s adventure brought him a great comfort in the evenings when all hope seemed lost and the Divine Beasts were serving the enemy.  _ Those  _ memories, the ones of the professor had been pieced back together rather quickly.

But remembering where he had misplaced his original copy...that had eluded him until now. He cursed himself for having thought that he had misplaced it at all! How could he have? It was in the care of one of the people he trusted the most in this world! 

Why did he have to forget so much? 

But more than that, another, even more frightening realization crept into his mind: 

Link had long yearned to find his Samwise throughout his entire life, even post-calamity. Sure since he had proved himself worth of the Master Sword there were plenty of people that had rallied around him, but all of those voices rang deaf in his ears.  

None of those voices mattered to him. 

Where had his Samwise been? Where was the one that stayed by his side? Believed in him no matter what? Link could recall many nights where he would lie awake under the stars wondering where he was, why Link had to go about this alone. 

But it was starting to occur to him that he didn’t need a Samwise.

He had a Sidon. 

And yet...such feelings for others, the feelings he knew he had the potential to feel for another man (the feelings he tried to deny that he had developed for Sidon), were written off as blasphemy that only Gerudo would commit, and that was only because Gerudo males were such a rare occurrence and the only option outside of  _ that _ for them was interracial marriage. 

But...at least a hundred years ago, anyone that courted a  _ Gerudo _ became an outcast almost instantly, and courting any other race or courting someone of the same sex as you just wasn’t heard of. Link had learned at a young age to bury his feelings as far deep as he had unconsciously buried his voice. 

He didn’t know how the opinion of the masses had changed in the last century - okay, that was a lie, he had seen plenty of couples on his travels to know that the minds of the general populace had grown to be much more accepting - but it was painful enough being a public figure under constant scrutiny, he wasn’t about to find out what would happen if he added a _boyfriend_ to the mix.  

Especially not an equally public  _ Zora _ boyfriend. 

Besides, how could someone as amazing as Sidon - who could literally choose any woman he wanted - want a  _ male _ , mute,  _ Hylian _ such as Link?

 Worse of all, how could he tell _Sidon_ of _all people_ that not only could he not bring himself to love Mipha the way she deserved to be loved but he fell in love with _him_ instead?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah this sure is going to be one of those slow burns where they like each other but don't fucking say anything.
> 
> (I hope you all know how long I have been itching to write itty bitty Sidon)


	16. Snuggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link finds Sidon asleep in his sea bed.
> 
> Sidon wakes up with Link next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi sorry I have been absent! I took a few days off to do a request weekend over on Tumblr (I'll post those drabbles here later) and I've had some dealings with my grandma's health taking a turn for the worst. I have to make a hefty drive today with my Mom and Aunt because it's anyone's guess how long she has left. So I apologize for typos in this chapter. I wanted to get it written so you guys had something for the road (and an explanation for my absence) and I'll post what I can in the next coming week or so. 
> 
> Very sorry about that! But don't you worry about me, you all just enjoy this massive chapter!

Link felt heavy, like lead, when he stepped quietly through the door late that evening. He wasn’t sure what time it was, but he wouldn’t have been surprised at all if he had been sitting out in that square until early morning. Nevertheless, the luminous stones that lit the entirety of Sidon’s home had dimmed considerably when Link walked in, and he found the forms of two Zora sound asleep on his sea bed. 

Link bit back a laugh, not sure if he was so enamored by how cute the two of them were or how ironic it was that now, of all times, Link had a chance to curl up next to Sidon and with a pretty reasonable excuse too.  

It wasn’t like he had much of a choice either. Or, at least that’s what Link told himself as he walked up to the bed. Gosh, Nami looked so small curled up against Sidon like that. When she tucked her knees into her chest, her head nestled in the crook of his neck, she maybe looked to be the length of his bicep. Certainly when she was standing full height she barely came up to his knee, if that. 

And Sidon...Link took a deep breath. His head was turned to the side towards Nami, likely to accommodate his long tail, and he rested his chin atop the little girl’s head. Even in sleep he wore such a beautiful smile and if Link listened closely, he could hear the soft, barely audible sounds of a Zora father’s bond with his daughter via their perfectly in tune purrs. 

Link rubbed his hands together, enjoying the quiet but not entirely certain what to do. He wouldn’t dare disturb Sidon or Nami, he didn’t want to. 

...if anything, he wanted to join them and yet…

Smothering a groan, Link stepped to the other side of the sea bed and grabbed the blanket that he had been using, and he held it up to his nose to breathe in deeply. 

Sweet Hylia, Sidon’s scent was so rich and so fresh. It was like a field of lilies and a warm summer breeze. It was nothing Link would have expected but it was everything he could have hoped for and Link was just grateful he had brief, quiet moments during fleeting visits where he could curl up under this blanket and pretend - if even for a moment - that the warmth that surrounded him was that of the arms of Sidon himself. 

Instead, all Link could do was hope and he felt a pang of bitterness wash over him as he carefully draped the blanket over Sidon, trying to get as much of it over Nami as possible without exposing Sidon’s little Zora feet. 

The task was easier said than done and Link was feeling his own exhaustion wash over him, so he gave up after a minute or so and called it good enough.

“...Ink…” Sidon mumbled. Link froze once he released the blanket. Oh great, he woke the guy up and Sidon was going to ask him why he was standing over him.

‘ _ Oh don’t mind me I just like watching you while I sleep because I have a raging boner for one of my best friends and it’s not Zelda. Go figure!’ _

Link scowled to himself and wanted to scream that his brain had the audacity to remind him that were he to actually say such a thing out loud it probably would be unintelligible or strewn about with words that would even offend a moblin because he had no filter when he was frustrated. It was probably for the better that he was selectively mute because he could at least think of nicer ways to  _ sign _ what was actually on his mind. 

Instead of opening his eyes, Sidon adjusted slightly, holding Nami a bit tighter as he sighed, “Oh...Link…”

Link stiffened, feeling his brow furrow. Was he...dreaming?

...of him?

A smile crept along the Hylian’s lips. What a goofball, he thought. And he only vaguely wondered what Sidon was dreaming about that could possibly involve him as he stepped into the washroom to change his clothes. 

Had he stayed just a moment longer, however, he would have heard the soft mutterings of an, “I love you.”

 

* * *

 If anything surprised Sidon more the next morning than the fact that he did just the thing he said he wouldn’t do and fell asleep in the sea bed that night it was the fact that he woke up so...warm and cozy. 

His questions were soon answered when he opened his eyes and looked down to see a blanket draped over him. Sidon pursed his lips. Did Link come through and drape this over him last night?

…

What a good friend!  

Speaking of Link, when Sidon tried to sit up he was stopped by a weight on his side, namely his arm and other shoulder, that also appeared to be contributing to the extra warmth. 

Link.

Sidon stared down at the peacefully sleeping Hylian pressed up against his side. His blond hair splayed out behind him from moving about in his sleep and as Sidon’s gaze trailed down he noticed that Link was hugging his arm with both his arms and his legs.  

Well...he couldn’t possibly disturb him.

Sidon stared up at the ceiling, kicking himself for how content he felt given the situation. He needed to do right by Link and free his arm and let the man have his bed to himself, not indulge in the benefit he drew from his friend’s vulnerable state! 

Wriggling his arm free without waking Link, however, was easier said than done. Link’s legs were one of the strongest things in all of Hyrule and held Sidon like a vice. He got his hand mostly free from them, finding that moving his arm up was most efficient.

And then his hand got caught around a erm... _ bulge _ of sorts. 

At first Sidon squinted, uncertain what the hell his hand was caught on. He moved a little bit, eliciting a sudden, soft, but still sensual moan from the Hylian next to him. Sidon stiffened, stopping all movements for several minutes as he waited for Link to relax again

He also broke out into a nervous sweat. 

_ Hylian men ran on twenty-four hour cycles! That was it! Nothing more!  _

At least, that statement was what Sidon was internally screaming to himself in his sad attempt of purging all hope from his mind. 

Sidon took a deep breath, tried to lift his hand away from Link’s uh... _ sensitive spot _ as best he could and slipped his hand free of Link’s legs. 

Link responded in his sleep by hugging Sidon’s arm so tight he nearly cut off blood circulation.

Biting back a frustrated groan and a string of curses, Sidon applauded Link’s ability to sleep so heavily as he finally wriggled his arm free, lifting it above him as he sighed in relief. Finally.  

He started to sit up, holding Nami close to him so as not to disturb her, but in one sudden, definitely still unconscious, motion, Link rolled over and swung his arm over Sidon’s chest. Link let out a soft hum and a snore, his face now pressed up against his side. Sidon bit back a literal scream as he stared down at the adorable sight before him.

Well now he simply couldn’t leave. 

At least, that’s what Sidon told himself, as if one arm draped over him compared to the literal vice grip his numb arm was still recovering from. 

There were several minutes of debate as Sidon hovered his arm over Link, not entirely sure where to put it. Gulping, he settled for just resting it along Link’s back and he hated with every fiber of his being how perfectly Link fit in the long cradle he now created. 

How neatly he fit up against his side.  

How natural it felt, laying there with his daughter in one arm and Link in the other. 

How desperately he wanted this to be a regular occurrence. 

To be honest, Sidon didn’t know how long he was laying there, thankful it was the weekend, but if anything finally did stir Link it was either his racing heartbeat or nervous sweating. He felt Link take a sharp inhale and then stiffen suddenly. Sidon glanced down to find blue eyes wide open and before Sidon could even get out a “Good morning!” Link sat up abruptly with a start. 

“Um…” Sidon grunted. Link’s head moved on a swivel, darting towards Sidon to meet his gaze. If his eyes could somehow get any wider, they did and his cheeks and ears turned redder than Sidon’s scales. “Good morning.”

“Sidon!” Link yelped, launching himself away from Sidon. The Prince frowned. The bed was suddenly very very cold. His hands moving frantically, Link signed, “I am so sorry! I don’t know how I fell asleep like that!”

“H-hey! It’s alright,” Sidon insisted, sitting up. “I’m the one who fell asleep in your bed to begin with! Don’t worry. My apologies for uh...doing so in the first place.”

Link’s breathing started to slow and he sighed, his ears drooping down with his frown. Sidon smiled as the Hylian finally gave a yawn and stretched, lying back down again. 

Close enough to Sidon that their shoulders were touching but not close enough for Sidon to be able to casually lift his arm above his head and pretend that he was just stretching when he really wanted to hold Link like that again. They remained like that, not speaking, for several minutes. 

In Sidon’s other arm, he felt a blue little tail curl to one side as one miss Minami opened her pretty little eyes. Link noticed it too because suddenly he was scooting closer to Sidon and rolling over to his side, propping his head in his hand. Sidon chuckled at Link’s movement and looked down at Nami, whispering, “Good morning, Princess.”

“Mmmmmm,” Nami hummed as she stretched her little arms forward before promptly rolling onto her stomach and wrapping her arms around Sidon’s neck. Her little tail swung back and forth lazily. “Morning, Daddy.”

Link chuckled as he reached forward and ran his hand gently along her tail. Nami turned her head in surprise, her eyes lighting up when she realized who the hand belonged to: “Link!”

Link lifted his hand from Nami to smile and wave at her cheesily. Nami started giggling and in one smooth motion she launched off of Sidon and barrelled into Link with the biggest hug she could manage, knocking Link onto his back and the two giggled and rolled on the sea bed, causing it to ripple so much that Sidon nearly fell off when he tried to sit up. 

He laughed and shook his head, letting the two play wrestle while he stole the chance to get up and get ready for the day. Sidon went into the wash room in his bedroom to brush his teeth and clean his scales off, and when he emerged, he found Link and Nami still on the sea bed, Nami’s tail beating a light breeze against Link’s hair. 

“And then-and then they started messing with all of Bilbo’s stuff!” Nami giggled. “They even sang a song about it! Poor Bilbo though, his house got really dirty...but that’s all I know that happened because I fell asleep.”

Link chuckled and it was only then that Sidon realized that he had been holding the book, cradling it gently in his arm and a small, unrecognizable twinkle in his eye. Sidon smiled to himself and said, “Alright, Minami, you need to go get cleaned up now so we can start our day.”

“But Daaaad!” Nami whined. “I don’t know what happens next! Is Bilbo going to go with the dwarves!? Will Gandalf make him!? I got to know!”

“And you will know!” Sidon insisted, plucking the girl off of Link’s lap. “But you need to wash up first. I’m seeing some dirt under those pretty scales of yours from yesterday…”

“Ugggh can’t I just get clean later?” Nami groaned. “Tumbo and I found a really cool spot yesterday and we wanted to go back today to explore more! I’ll just get dirty again!” 

“Well if you had done a better job of cleaning off last night before dinner I wouldn’t be asking you to do it again,” Sidon chided gently. Nami crossed her arms and pouted, seeming to realize that he had a point and she wouldn’t win this argument. “Also I would appreciate it if you asked me if you could play with Tumbo before you made plans to run off with him today.”

Nami looked up at Sidon in distress, her mouth agape, “Wait, can I still play with him today!?”

“You can today,” Sidon said, kissing her forehead. “But next time you need to ask me first, okay?”

“Yes, Daddy!" 

“Go clean up,” Sidon said, setting Nami on the ground and watching her scamper off to her bedroom. Sidon found himself shaking his head and chuckling. How perfect she was, he thought. “Well,” he said, standing up, “I’m glad she likes the book, thankfully. I don’t know what I would do if my own daughter disliked Tolkien…”

Sidon trailed off when he turned around to face Link. The Hylian was holding the book in one hand, his eyes full of wonder, and running his other hand over the cover. He then looked up at Sidon and in the tiniest, barely audible voice he asked, “You kept this?”

“I--” Sidon started, almost shocked that Link would even ask such a question. “Of course! It’s my favorite book.”

Link’s gaze traveled back down to the book cover, gently setting the story down on his lap and placing both hands neatly folded on top. Sidon couldn’t quite read Link’s expression, but he still felt his heart swelling when he added, “And the most cherished gift I have ever received.”

Link’s head darted up to look at Sidon, seeming surprised. 

“What?” Sidon asked with a shrug. “It’s true. The day you extended your hand in friendship and gave me that book was a day that I will look to with the utmost fondness for the rest of my life.”

Link cracked a smile at that, laughing a little as he lifted his hands and signed, “I remember making you cry that day.”

Sidon felt his head lean back as he let out a hearty laugh, “So you remember all that? Well, gosh, I don’t blame you at all, I was such a little troll as a boy!”

“No,” Link signed, his brow furrowed in disagreement. “I wouldn’t think that at all. You were really sweet. If anything I was just older and a brat.”

“I didn’t know my own strength back then,” Sidon retorted. “I can imagine that you went home with a number of bruises from the way I was dragging you around everywhere.” 

“We were children, Sidon,” Link insisted. “And...I wasn’t one to make friends. Or be remotely interested in friends. I got along with Mipha because she was shy and didn’t pick on me for being mute. I had never had someone as kind and outgoing as you take an interest in me before.”

“Oh,” Sidon felt his tail wagging and he wished he wasn’t facing Link dead on and could grab a firm hold of it without embarrassing himself further. “Well...you were a friend of my sister’s and shared your love of reading with me. And despite that I had upset you, you didn’t shy away or call me a dumb shark like the other kids would. Instead you forgave me and showed me patience and I will forever be grateful for that. It was...it was a magical experience.”

Link’s ears drooped and that was the only indication that Sidon had his expression was something akin to sadness. 

“They said that to you?” he signed.  

Sidon shrugged. “I wasn’t the best at social cues,” he admitted. He didn’t know why Link looked so distraught. He didn’t blame any of his classmates for reacting to his behavior the way they did. He was a little tyrant, whether he meant it or not. The ears drooped a little further and Sidon jumped, waving his hands in his face frantically, “It’s okay, Link! I was so young back then and the treatment only really lasted a year or two! Once I was older and going to school full days I got along with everyone just fine! It’s ancient history! I hardly remember any of it! There’s no need to be sad about it!”

Link pursed his lips and glanced back down at the book, thankfully changing the subject: “It looks just like it did when I gave it to you.” 

“It’s a little more worn out now,” Sidon admitted. “I regret to say that while I tried to be careful, with the binding as it was some of the pages started to fall out. I repaired it as best I could…”

Sidon trailed off as Link opened the book to where the cover page had been, and it was only when he felt the panic of seeing Link’s confused and slightly hurt expression did Sidon remember: “Oh that’s right! I have something for you!” 

Sidon felt a pair of blue eyes on him as he retreated back to his bookshelves in his room and grabbed the picture frame he had been searching for. He trotted out of his room proudly, holding it out to Link as he explained, “I wasn’t sure when would be a good time to give this to you because I didn’t know how much of your memory has yet to be regained and I didn’t want to gift it prematurely and have you accidentally lose track of it and be upset later…”

Link took the picture frame in his hands and Sidon bit the inside of his mouth, feeling a pang of guilt as he explained, “That page wasn’t one I could get to stay in the binding, but I figured it was for the best. I was so shocked to find the professor’s autograph inside the copy that you had given me, and the message itself was so kind of him to write, it felt wrong to keep it to myself. So I sealed it with a special mist that our artisans make to store ancient artifacts so that it would last longer and put it in that frame.” 

There was a pause of silence as Link ran his hand over the framed page before he looked up with misty eyes and signed, “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Sidon felt his tail wagging. “Though I must ask, do you think the professor knew your were destined to become the Hero when he wrote that?”

“Well he had commented on the story of how the Hero lost his voice so he couldn’t take back his vow,” Link signed, “But I don’t know...how did you learn to read elvish?”

“Oh!” Sidon jumped. “Well, my first voyage outside of the Domain wasn’t until a few years after the Great Calamity when it was finally safe enough to leave without getting attacked by a Guardian or Divine Beast. Father had sent me to lead a small platoon to examine the damage to the Hylian Kingdom and help get anyone that was stranded in the damage to safety in the outlying villages. Thanks to Princess Zelda, the task was hardly difficult at all but I was still very young and very frightened by it all. I brought the book to read at night and keep me calm, and when I met the Sheikah woman, Impa in Kakariko Village, she saw my book and asked if I had read the others. So I bought the Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion off of her and...I might have...taught myself all of the languages based on what the professor had written about them…”

As Sidon spoke, he watched as Link’s expression lit up all the more until he was nearly laughing and Sidon felt himself trailing off before he finally admitted, “I’m a huge nerd, aren’t I…”

That finally broke Link and he started laughing and Sidon felt himself deflating slightly. He perked up again, however, when Link signed, “I thought I was the only one who did that!” 

“You...did too?” Sidon dared to ask and when Link nodded in affirmation, his tail started wagging all the more. Without thinking, Sidon slid onto the bed, sitting next to Link as they launched almost immediately into a heated debate about the events that transpired in the other books written, their favorite characters, conspiracy theories, “what-ifs” and the only thing that stopped them from giggling all morning about it like little children was the soft knock on the door. 

Sidon rose to his feet and opened it, looking down to find Tumbo staring up at him with wide eyes. 

“Uh--!” Tumbo jumped. This was the first time Sidon had seen or even interacted with the little boy outside of the school yard by himself, and judging by the nervous way Tumbo ran his little hands together, it seemed that the encounter was also a bit of a shock to him. “H-hi! Prince Sidon! Can Nami come out and play?”

Sidon felt a large grin spread along his lips as he opened the door wider for the boy, “Of course, my boy! She’s just washing up, why don’t you come in?” 

“O-okay!” Tumbo grinned, skipping inside, his little tail wagging up and down. He paused in the entryway, eyes falling on Link before Tumbo pointed at him and cheered, “You’re the frog catcher!”  

Link waved at Tumbo before he launched into Link’s arms, his tail smacking his back it was beating with so much excitement. Link laughed, bouncing Tumbo on his lap a little and Sidon couldn’t help but smile at the sight. 

“So Minami told me you guys found a really cool spot that you’re going to play in?” Sidon asked, sitting down.

“Oh yeah!” Tumbo grinned, looking up at Sidon with sparkling eyes. “It’s this secret pond with a boatload of frogs in it and-and-and last night we saw fairies fly by!”

“Wow,” Sidon nodded. “That sounds quite impressive.”

Tumbo nodded with excitement and before Sidon could ask him just exactly where they were going Nami burst out of her room cheering, “Tumbo! Come on, let’s go!”

“Okay!” Tumbo cheered, hopping off of Link’s lap. 

“Now, hold on a moment,” Sidon rose to his feet, “Nami where is this pond you two are going to?”

“It’s a secret, Dad!” Nami giggled. “I can’t tell you!”

“It’s not far at all, sir!” Tumbo chimed in. “In fact it’s just up the hill!”

“The hill, huh?” Sidon crossed his arms as Nami’s head snapped in her friends direction with a small glare. “This isn’t the same hill that leads up to the cliff you can climb up to Shatterback point, now is it?”

“It’s not that high up, Dad,” Nami pouted. “We won’t go anywhere near the cliff!” 

“Nami,” Sidon sighed, glancing over at Link who was tapping his shoulder and signing for him to let the children go. He was shocked for a moment that Link was actually taking the kids’ side but really couldn’t argue when it was pointed out to him that he, as a child much smaller than Nami and Tumbo, did follow Mipha and Link out to grounds much further than this pond without anybody to accompany him on his “secret mission” to join the two and play with them despite the fact that he had been told he was “too small” to leave the Domain. “Alright, but be back by lunchtime, alright? And grab a snack or something to eat before you go.” 

“Yes, Dad!” Nami cheered and just like that, she was zipping out the door with her friend. 

 

 

After that day, Link unfortunately had to depart with Zelda back to Hyrule Castle and Sidon had to admit, having Tumbo and Nami’s other classmates fill his quarters from time to time with playdates or sleep overs became a real joy. Having his quarters filled with the squealing laughter almost filled the void in his heart that the little Hylian man always left when he was absent. 

Thankfully, this time Link left Sidon with a handful of recipes that allowed him to trick all of Nami’s friends that he was a decent cook and assure the parents that would drop their children off for slumber parties that their kids would be well fed in the hands of the prince. 

The rest of the time, poor Nami had to deal with either way too much repetition or pitiful looking fish fry. 

“You need to take a cooking class, Son,” King Dorephan had said to him one evening and Sidon could only hang his head in agreement. 

And the moms that would invite him to stay and visit while Nami played with her friends was even more exciting. He learned about so much gossip in the Domain that wasn’t normally disclosed to him! He almost enjoyed sitting with them than he did meandering into the other room to talk with the other fathers. 

“...and then I heard that Zim didn’t even bring Prim a _live_ fish when he first courted her!” Mei whispered, leaning forward as if this were some big secret that the kids in the other room were listening in on. The other women and Sidon gasped in shock.   

“My word!” Sidon guffawed. How does a Zora initiated a courtship without bringing a living fish!?  

“Well, he’s not the strongest swimmer in the sea,” Milah snorted. “I wouldn’t have been surprised if he sent someone to catch a fish for him!”

“Okay, tell me this, Prince Sidon,” Mei started, turning her attention to him. 

“Oh please, we’re all friends here, you can just call me Sidon,” Sidon chuckled.

“Ooooh,” Tala hooted. “We’re on first name basis with the prince now, girls!” 

Sidon ducked his head bashfully in his hands laughing as the other mothers in the room all raised their glasses and cheered. 

“Well anyway,” Mei raised her hands, trying to calm the crowd, “Let me pick your brain. As a man, what is, like, the one thing to do when courting someone.”

Sidon felt his face immediately heat up as he was put under the spotlight. 

Well, it wasn’t like he had any experience courting...how the hell was he supposed to know!?

“Um...well,” Sidon pursed his lips together. “Aside from adhering to tradition? Or…?”

“Just in general,” Mei shrugged, but Tala surged forward. 

“Wait,” she asked. “When you say tradition…” 

“Well, I simply mean that if I  _ were _ to court someone I would want to keep it traditional,” Sidon shrugged. “I know a lot of Zora try to do away with all the pomp and circumstance and be more communicative and less symbolic in their courtships...but I just feel that the tradition has such a...beautiful and romantic flare to it. To go without the symbolism behind each step would be a crime.”

Sidon had to admit that, as he was talking, he remembered why he tried not to be too personal with Zora women of courting age. Seeing them swoon in front of him had always made him feel...uncomfortable. Sure he was royalty but that just happened by chance more than anything and he wasn’t anything all that special. He was just a goon. Even he was aware of that much.

That being said, it was really nice hanging out with  _ married women _ whose swooning was more over the fact that they just found him charming but left it at that considering that they had already found their soulmates. There was a little more humor behind the action and Sidon really liked feeling at ease enough to speak honestly with them and even receive a little tongue and cheek teasing in return. 

“Good heavens why have you not snatched anyone up yet?” Milah snorted. 

“Prim would be so much happier if she found herself a guy like Sidon,” Tula agreed. 

“Okay but what about outside of tradition?” Mei pressed. “Just a general overarching thing, what’s important to you when courting?”

“Well, I can’t say that I would know,” Sidon shrugged. “But when I do one day finally court someone...I would just want...uh... _ that person _ to know how much they are loved and how special they are to me.”

Sidon flinched a little at a few squeals and suddenly the conversation took a turn away from bitching about Zim and the possibility of him cheating on poor Prim - who was the sweetest Zora Sidon had ever dealt with and deserved so much better - and on Sidon. 

“You are just the best charmer!” Mei groaned. Being Tumbo’s mother, she was the one Sidon had spent the most time with since adopting Nami. She was also closest in age to him as they had been classmates together and he hadn’t seen her much since she had married young and been busy with motherhood while Sidon admittedly disconnected a bit from his childhood friends to learn how to run the kingdom. It was nice to be able to reconnect with her, but that also meant that she had found the invitation to stomp forward and smack Sidon repeatedly with her napkin, screaming, “Why! Are you! Still! Single!?”

“I haven’t found the right person yet!” Sidon defended, swatting her away.

“Bullshit!” Mei snapped back, a sly smirk on her face. “I know that look anywhere! You’ve been love sick for weeks now, haven’t you!” 

Several more pairs of golden eyes snapped towards Sidon’s direction.

“I--” Sidon gulped. 

“Who is it!?” Tula asked with a devilish grin.

“Nobody that you would expect,” Sidon sunk in his seat and covered his face with his hands. 

“Oh come  _ on _ , Sidon! Tell us who it is!” Mei begged. “It’s like you said! We’re all friends here!” 

“Mei!” Sidon groaned. “It’s not that simple!”

“Not that simple!?” Milah scoffed. “You have every single woman in the entire Lanayru Region thirsting after you! You could just skip all the steps and give her your sapphire and she’ll probably say yes!” 

Sidon let out another groan, hating that she had a point and hating even more that this was the one case that didn’t apply to the statement. 

“Hell, he’s even got some men lusting after him,” Mei mused gruffly. Sidon sunk further in his seat, hoping to all three Goddesses Above that the motion went unnoticed. “Have you seen the way that Hero stares at him when he visits?”

“Oooooh yeah,” Milah snickered. “He must be hanging around Gerudo Town too much.”

“Link isn’t like that,” Sidon snapped, without meaning to. He cleared his throat when he saw the way the women were caught off guard by his statement. “I-I mean...he’s a lifelong friend of mine...he wouldn’t see me in such a regard.”

There was a moment of silence as the other women looked skeptically at each other and an odd flicker sparkled in the back of Mei’s eye as she crossed her arms and said, “I still think he’s go the hots for you.”

Sidon let out grumble that only served to crack the women up more and he was relieved when the conversation finally took another turn. After another hour or so, they decided to call it a night and take their children home. They all thanked Mei for hosting, decided that Sidon should host next, gave Sidon hell for having such a small living quarters, and then bid their goodbyes. 

“Did you have fun, Nami?” Sidon asked, holding her hand as she skipped merrily through the streets. 

“Yep!” Nami grinned. 

“Good, I’m glad,” Sidon smiled. They walked mostly in silence on the way home and Nami let out several yawns, not protesting at all when it was suggested to her that she go to bed early. Sidon took a few moments to himself once he tucked her in, heaving a content sigh as he sifted through a surprising amount of mail. He paused when his hand grazed over familiar handwriting on one envelope.

Link…

Sidon regretted to admit that he was a little too excited to tear it open. It had been a little over two months since he saw Link last, and while sparse visits weren’t unfamiliar to Sidon, he was still surprised that this was the first time he had received a letter.

Or rather...he was surprised to have received the letter to begin with. It was hard to say. 

 

_ Sidon, _

_ Dear friend, I know I should have thought to write you sooner than this and for that I am sorry.  _

_Your gift is so very cherished and I cannot thank you enough for preserving such a treasured piece of both our childhoods. The page sits in its picture frame on top of my piano. It serves as a comfort when I compose._  

_ That’s right, I don’t know if I told you during our last visit, but I found an old piano and refurbished it. It has served me well and I’ve even started writing my own music. I haven’t shared it with anyone just yet, and I would love for you to hear what I’ve got so far. It’s embarrassing to admit, but you’ve served as the inspiration for most of the pieces I’ve composed thus far. I hope you will like them.  _

_ I know it is hard for you to venture away from the Domain, but I wanted to extend to you an invitation to my home in Hateno Village. Perhaps you could stay for a few days? It would be wonderful to have you and show you where I live.  _

_ Best to you, my friend,  _

_ Link _

 

Sidon read the last paragraph over and over again, panic arising in his chest and before he knew it, Sidon had shot up to his feet and marched straight into the palace and to his father’s study. 

“DAAAAAD!” he cried out. “I have a bit of a situation!”  

Oh no. 

Oh dear this was not good. Not good at all. 

 And worse yet was he was ready to take Link up on such an offer without a second thought. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again,
> 
> GET REKT SIDON.


	17. Lynel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon makes his way to Hateno Village to spend a weekend with Link when he's greeted by a very unwelcome passerby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a very eventful week and a half, I gotta say.
> 
> I even fought a bird. She brought an army. It was an ordeal. 
> 
> Also...I didn't intend to dedicate an entire chapter to the Universe Lynel and yet here I am. Dedicating an entire chapter to the Universe Lynel. Is he bringing them together or just making Sidon's life worse? It's hard to say, honestly. Even I don't know! Lolol.
> 
> (I SWEAR I'll get to the 72 messages that have flooded my inbox this past week while I've been away. I feel the love but oh man that's a lot to respond to lolol. I'm so grateful!!)

He could not believe he was doing this.

Sidon. Absolutely. Could not believe he was doing this. 

Hell, that was a lie. He could believe it. He could believe that he would be roped into this nonsense.

He just couldn’t believe that his father had talked him into it. 

All Sidon had wanted was some sound advice. How to say no, he shouldn’t be wandering off from the Domain in pursuit of already lost love when he had a child to raise and a kingdom to run! And yet, in his greatest time of need, his father had failed him. Miserably. 

“Father, what am I to do!?” Sidon rattled on pathetically. King Dorephan simply looked to his son in confusion, and for a moment before Sidon remembered that he had been extremely tight lipped about his feelings, he didn’t know why.

“It’s just Link, Son,” Dorephan shrugged. “He seeks your company, then go visit him!”

“I can’t just go visit him!” Sidon spat back, exasperated. 

There was a brief flicker in the back of Dorephan’s eyes. “...why not?”

“I--” Sidon spat before it suddenly dawned on him that he was doubled over himself in panic and speaking like a man that was both hopelessly in love and full of anxiety.  

Which was true. 

But it also dawned on him that his father would have no reason to know and that he...really wanted to keep it that way. Standing up straight, Sidon cleared his throat and tried to collect himself. “Father.”

Dorephan sat back in his throne, a devilish smile crossing his lips. “Yes, my boy?”

“I am Prince of the Zora Domain,” Sidon said.

“Indeed you are,” Dorephan chuckled, laughing prematurely at the once used pun: “If I recall correctly, Link commented that such a fact makes you quite the catch, does it not?” 

Sidon felt pins and needles crawl up his spine. His father was onto him. 

“I cannot simply  _ leave _ the Domain on a whim!” Sidon spat, ignoring the comment altogether. “My people need me!” 

“I send you on errands all the time, Sidon,” Dorephan ran his hand over his face. “And as Prince it is your duty to travel and see the world and get as familiar with it as possible before you become King and really need to stay here to run things more directly. Use the opportunity while you have it!”

Sidon didn’t realize he had covered his face with his hand in a manner almost exactly like his father as he tried to come up with another excuse: “Father. I’m a father now!”

“Yeah and I’m the size of a house,” Dorephan shrugged in exasperation. “Tell me something that’s actually shocking about this invitation.” 

“I can’t leave Minami by herself!” Sidon snapped. He was pacing now, he was so nervous. “She’s but a child! And it’s not like she has another parent to watch her while I’m away!”

“So then get a babysitter and find a husband, Son, it’s that simple!” Dorephan leaned back in his throne, folding his hands neatly together in his lap. 

“ _ Where _ am I going to find a husband in this Domain!?” Sidon guffawed back, throwing his hands in the air. “I’m the only gay Zora that I know of! Do  _ you _ know of anyone!? No! Because if you did, you and Nami would have tried to set me up by now!” 

“That’s why I said get a babysitter and  _ then _ you set out to find a husband! I didn’t say he had to be from here!”

“I can’t just get a babysitter on short notice!” Sidon ran his hands along the back of his tail fin, completely missing the hints his father was dropping. “I mean sure, plenty of people have been trusted with Minami’s well-being, but I don’t know all of her previous caretakers and most of them have families of their own. I have to find someone who is able to stay with her overnight, that she knows, and enjoys being around, and that I am familiar with to trust with everything around my quarters and the palace!”

At that, Dorephan leaned forward, his hands still neatly folded and it was faintly occurring to Sidon that his father had drawn into himself slightly while he was listening to his son’s ranting. King Dorephan pursed his lips together and twiddled his thumbs in a way that Sidon had only ever seen before in a mirror. “Well,” Dorephan’s voice was actually small for once. “If you wouldn’t mind...I meet most of those qualifications." 

Sidon’s thoughts came to a screeching halt. He stopped pacing, and turned to face his father directly, “Pardon?”

“Well, I just mean that if you didn’t mind…” Dorephan leaned back, waving his hands in front of him a bit as he rattled about. “She’d have to stay in the palace of course, but your old bedroom is still pretty intact and she could bring all her things and get more acquainted and this would be a lovely opportunity for her to get comfortable in here - and maybe she’d even want for you two to come back to live with me - and I’d very much enjoy having her company--”

“Father,” Sidon smiled warmly, knowing exactly what the true scheme behind this was. “Are you telling me that you want to spend more time with your granddaughter?”

Dorephan’s eyes darted from his lap, up to Sidon, and back to his lap. “...I’m just saying that...if you’d like to venture away from time to time, especially if Link is requesting your presence, then you have a babysitter if you’d allow... ”

Sidon couldn’t keep from laughing. There were very few moments when King Dorephan dropped his guard to and just expressed himself as a father. The moments when he dropped his guard and not let even the title of father keep him from expressing his true wants and desires were even fewer and farther between. It was those moments that Sidon remembered how much like his father he was, and it was in those moments that he loved seeing his father open up. 

“Of course you can look after her,” Sidon grinned, a warm feeling bubbling in his chest and washing away all anxiety. “I don’t know why I was being so silly earlier. I can’t think of someone that I would trust with her more.”

The way the king’s eyes lit up was absolutely priceless, and the way he clapped his hands together and cheered, “Then it’s settled! You’ll write back to Link at once and tell him you’re coming!” carried Sidon all the way through writing to Link, saying he’d be in Hateno “tomorrow”, ask the post runner how long it would take for the letter to be delivered, and then leave the day before the letter was scheduled to arrive so he had time to find the village, making sure that Nami had everything she needed for a fun-filled weekend with Grandpa. 

It wasn’t until Nami and his father all but threw Sidon into the river to see him off and he hit the cold water did the sick feeling of doom settle in his chest. 

Oh sweet Lanayru, what the hell had he been thinking!?

Not only was he ill-equipped to handle a weekend with  _ Link _ in  _ his house _ getting to know  _ his friends _ and any  _ family _ that he might’ve been in contact with, but it also occurred to Sidon that, when he reached Lanayru Bay that taking a land route was probably not the best of ideas...even if it was a shortcut. 

He was knee deep in snow when he realized that he might have been lost.

Snow couldn’t exist this far south...could it?

Well...judging by how much he had been climbing he guessed it would have to given his current elevation. 

“Oh heavens,” Sidon grumbled, hugging himself as a shiver ran up his spine. He had not packed for cold weather. “At this rate Link is going to have to go on an expedition to dig up a frozen Zora-sicle.”

He trudged through the snowbanks, his toes having gone numb by that point. He had been grumbling to himself so much that he almost missed the low growl that rumbled the ground beneath. 

A growl that sounded...unfortunately familiar.

In the fog and the snow, Sidon’s eyes hadn’t adjusted to notice the dark figure lumbering about and following him until he turned around and saw the puff of warm air leave its snout. 

A Lynel.  

Sidon froze up, feeling his defensive instincts kick in. In a normal setting, he would have tried to keep still and wait for the beast to pass, but he also knew much too well that his bright red scales stuck out against the white background like a sore thumb and there was no way for him to evade the Lynel. 

Thankfully, Sidon at least compared in size to the beast and unlike the one on Shatterback Point, this one was likely not used to seeing Zora. Sidon lowered his stance, his gills flaring out as he let out a grunt and slowly reached for his bow. He grabbed hold of it and grasped it firmly in one hand, searching for an arrow with the other. 

The Lynel let out a growl and Sidon snarled back, baring his teeth as he raised his bow and set his sights on the spot between the Lynel’s eyes, prepared for anything to happen. 

But then, the Lynel did something that instilled a strong sense of doom in Sidon’s gut. 

It let out a snort.  

And then it smiled. 

It didn’t charge, didn’t raise its weapon. It simply smiled and then turned its body, walking away. 

Sidon rose back up, his grip on his bow slacking as he tried to shake the eerie feeling that overcame him. Nevertheless, it wandered out of his sight and Sidon had no choice but to continue on. He had so hoped that he would have made it to Hateno by the end of the day, but assuming he was horrendously lost, Sidon found himself hunkering down in the cold of night and trying to examine the map he had brought with him and yet it was proven useless to him considering that he could only tell he was at least south of the bay. 

Or at least he thought he was south.

The climate was throwing him off.

He didn’t know anything anymore.

With no choice but to let out a soft growl and hope for the best, Sidon didn’t set out again until the next morning and when he did, he could have sworn he saw a Lynel with every corner he turned. 

He also didn’t know where in the world he was. 

“I’m sure there’s a silver lining to this,” Sidon grumbled to himself, his feet skidding as he walked down a slope. He was also rather unhappy with himself. With the last false Lynel sighting he had fired off the last of his arrows, and while the paranoia at least served as excellent target practice and he was pleased to report that he was as skilled an archer as ever, Sidon had also managed to lodge said arrows so well into the trees that they merely snapped in half when he attempted to retrieve them.

On the bright side, the temperature was beginning to increase again and the snow banks were shrinking into green grass and he wasn’t so numb in the toes. If he squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, he could also barely make out a small body of water. 

“Perfect!” Sidon cheered, almost a little too loud considering the deafening silence he had experienced over the last two and a half days. Flinching at the small echo that resulted from his outburst, Sidon tread forward lightly, but after just a few steps, he heard a large snapping nose. 

The prince’s head spun around in the direction of the noise and Sidon watched as a tree behind him teetered to the side and fell down to reveal the dark coat of the Lynel from before, cradling the axe that had chopped the tree down. Flinching, Sidon reached behind him only to remember that he was fresh out of arrows. Putting his bow away, he reached for his trident but many years of teaching him how to pick his battles told Sidon he needed to make a break for it. 

What a shame that Zora were known for their stumpy legs and there was no body of water within a feasible distance to retreat to. 

Well, if this was how Sidon would die, screaming like a buffoon and tripping over his own feet as he tried and failed to sprint away from a stampeding Lynel on a sad attempt to meet up with the man of his dreams after pining helplessly for an embarrassingly long time, at least no one would know.

If he died because he tripped over his feet just enough times to roll down the hill helplessly, the pitch of his screams escalating, then no one really needed to know. 

He had lost track of how far he had rolled, but he could tell that he had rolled down away from the remaining snow and he could tell that, even when he smacked against a boulder that finally broke his fall, the Lynel was still chasing him.  

Not giving himself time to regain his bearings, Sidon pushed himself over the boulder, stood on his feet and continued running feeling thankful that the lake he had seen earlier was in sight. 

As he ran towards it, he caught sight of a Hylian sitting by the lake fishing. 

“RUN AWAAAY!” he screamed, waving frantic at the Hylian. “LYNEL!” 

“SIDON!?” the Hylian screamed back. 

Sidon spent a moment squinting at the form he was running towards. 

That had to be Link. 

That was definitely Link.

Oh fuck, it was Link. 

It hadn’t exactly dawned on Sidon that Link was running up to him until he tripped again and fell on the poor man, both of them groaning as they rolled over onto their backs. 

“Owww,” Sidon groaned, sitting up. “Are you alright?” 

Link sat up, rubbing his head before he looked up and saw the Lynel having stopped, staring the two down. 

“Sidon,” Link hissed. Sidon followed Link’s gaze, seeing that same sneering grin from the day before. There was no way they were still in the Lynel’s territory. Just no way. 

“Yes, Link?” Sidon squeaked. 

“Run,” Link whispered, his voice shifting several octaves and barely audible. 

“Uh-huh,” Sidon nodded, not able to move until the Lynel dug its hooves into the ground, preparing to charge. 

“RUN!” Link screamed again and just like that, the Prince of the Zora and the Hero of Hyrule let out the most shameful screams at a beast’s charge. Scooping Link into his arms, Sidon sprinted into the water and dove in as soon as it was deep enough, still screaming. He sped through the water until he was in the middle of the large lake before he remembered that Link couldn’t breathe and then he breached the surface to the sounds of Link coughing and hacking. 

“Sorry!” Sidon apologized, holding the squirming Hylian tightly. He spun around in the water to see if they had gained enough distance for the Lynel to leave him alone. 

It was standing knee-deep in the water. 

Feeling his blood run cold, Sidon tried to back up. 

Suddenly, the Lynel raised its bow. 

And drawn on it, was a shock arrow. 

Sidon had so wished that he had been alone if for little to no reason reason other than at least he could have said that no one would have known the shriek that came out of him: “AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!”

“OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE!” Link shrieked, kicking the still screaming Sidon as he climbed up onto the Zora’s shoulders, balancing on Sidon’s head as he fired off several bomb arrows without even thinking. 

“LIIIIIIINK!” Sidon screamed, splashing the water uselessly with his arms. 

“Put the motherfucking shock arrow down you bitch-faced piece of shit,” Link spat under his breath so effortlessly that Sidon was almost shaken to his core for that reason alone.

And yet for some other reason, the only thing Sidon could actually process was, “That’s a bad fucking word, Link!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Link snarled back, firing off another arrow. This time it finally hit the Lynel, exploding on contact. The beast roared and took several steps back. While it didn’t fall, that still finally got the Lynel to retreat, though the two didn’t release the breath they had each been holding until it had crossed through the trees and out of sight. 

That still didn’t mean that Sidon was ready to let go of Link.

And hey, it wasn’t out of pining this time, it was out of actual raw fear of having a monster from his nightmares actually knowing enough about Zora to fire a  _ shock arrow _ at him. 

“I-I think he’s gone,” Sidon panted, hugging Link close. The Hylian that was still balanced on his shoulders was pale in the face as he nodded feebly. Link finally slid back down a little, his arms trembling slightly as he hugged Sidon’s neck tightly. Moving slowly in the water, Sidon swam the two of them to the other side of the lake, shocked to see the top of some sort of building ahead of them. Once they reached the shore, Sidon finally released Link who doubled over and heaved a sigh of relief, small laughs escaping him. 

“Link?” Sidon asked, rising out of the water himself. Link sat down on the ground, tugging at his sopping wet pants, the color returning to his cheeks as he smiled brightly and laughed. 

“Well, hello!” Link finally signed. “Fancy seeing you here!” 

“I--” Sidon started, his heart suddenly skipping a beat, partly because of how cute the man looked and partly because reality was starting to dawn on him. “Did you get my letter?” 

“Yes,” Link signed, nodding. “I was just out here to catch some fish! I didn’t think you would get here so fast...or come from this direction!” 

“Yes, well,” Sidon heaved a sigh, letting out a few laughs of his own. “I was so certain I had gotten lost on the way. And then that Lynel happened and--”

Sidon paused, fully processing the extent of what had just happened and he wasn’t sure if he was more frozen in shock that the second or third full sentence that he had ever heard Link speak was full of language so fowl that the flowers around them must have wilted, or frozen because they had been embracing so tightly, or just amazed that they had not only survived the fiasco but brutally murdered their pride as a result.  

It dawned on him a little late that he was sitting next to Link laughing so hard that his head fell in the Hylian’s lap. 

When their laughter had settled, Sidon froze, his eyes snapping open and his heart stopping in his chest for the upteenth time today. 

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear-- 

A small hand gently tracing the side of his tail stopped Sidon’s panicking in its tracks and he relaxed, allowing himself to enjoy the comfort of Link’s presence and touch. 

Oh how good it felt to be this close to Link.  

Closing his eyes, Sidon took one more breath and then reluctantly forced himself to sit up. Link followed suit and took the zora’s hand. Before Sidon could light up in confused internal exclamations all over again, Link guided him down a small, barely noticeable path until they came to the edge of a cliff overlooking several buildings. Faint music playing in the distance caught Sidon’s ear and the sun shined so brightly along the big blue sky, and the prince had to just take a step back and admire the green grasses and the bustle of people down below. 

“Welcome,” Link signed, the brightest smile that Sidon had ever seen crossing his lips. “This is Hateno Village! I’m really excited to show you around.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the gay sleepover begin.


	18. Drinks All Around!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon and Link decide to go out for dinner and out for the night.
> 
> ...that might've been a mistake...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all I can say is...
> 
> Happy Pride Month everyone XD I may or may not be writing from personal experience with this one....
> 
> (Just not to the extent that Sidon and Link are about to go lmaooo)

It wasn’t until  _ after _ they had reached Link’s home and recovered from the Lynel’s siege did Link realize that he had forgotten something very important for dinner. 

“Your village is remarkable!” Sidon praised as they stepped through the door. Well...slid and squated and struggled his way through the small doorway that was clearly intended for Hylians. Hateno was not near the size of the Zora’s Domain or Hyrule’s capital city, but it was still such a charming town and seeing the beginnings of night life bustle around with all the charms that a Sheikah-Hylian settlement had to offer brought such joy to the Zora.  

Link smiled and nodded in gratitude, laughing a little as he watched Sidon struggling to adjust to the smaller size of the house, ducking his head way more than was actually needed and craning his neck forward to keep even his plume from scratching the ceiling. 

“You can stand,” Link assured. Sidon made a series of disgruntled noises as he gazed up at the wood above him before he slowly and hesitantly adjusted, first lifting his head, then straightening his back, and then ever so slowly, straightening his knees until he was standing at his full height. 

“Oh,” Sidon nodded, pleasantly surprised. Link chortled in response, apparently amused by his friend’s struggling. Sidon merely gave Link a playful glare and asked, “So what’s the catch of the day?”

Shaking his head in amusement, Link took his pack off and set it on the counter.

The sack did not hit the counter with the normal, heavy  _ thud _ that Sidon was used to hearing when Link would return from a hunting trip. The lack of noise perked the prince up a bit and he looked over to see Link hanging his head in frustration. 

“Link?” Sidon asked.

Link didn’t necessarily answer but his stomach sure did with a low, long growl. 

“Is everything alright?”

“The fish,” Link groaned.  

“Yes, what about them?” Sidon asked and received an angry glare as he spun around to present an empty satchel. He dropped it on the ground with a huff before he presented his hands rather flippantly. 

“I forgot to get the fish,” he signed, looking peeved. Though by the red on his cheeks Sidon guessed is was more frustration with himself. Sidon opened his mouth to ask how but Link answered before he could: “That damn Lynel scared the daylights out of me and I wanted to get out of there so I forgot to actually do what I set out for.”

At that, Sidon couldn’t help but let out a chuckle despite the sharp look Link was giving him. “Oh,  my friend that’s quite alright! We passed many restaurants along the way and it’s not like I don’t have the funds to pay for the food.”

“Yeah but,” Link groaned, shuffling his feet as he looked away and admitted through his sign, “You traveled a long ways and I wanted you to be able to relax before we did all that…”

“Link,” Sidon smiled brightly, unable to contain his laughter, “I have four days set aside to spend with you before I have to return to the Domain. There will be plenty of time to relax. Besides, I want to see your home! That is why you invited me, is it not?”

Link’s head teetered to the side and his lips fluttered as if he wanted to say something or argued, but the words fell short and he finally shrugged. “Okay." 

“Perfect!” Sidon shot up to his feet. “Shall we go?”

“No, no,” Link took a few steps forward and spun Sidon around, pushing him towards the bedroom of the house before he stepped to the prince’s side to explain, “If we’re going out tonight then we’re going to go out for the night. Besides we’ll be caught waiting a while during the dinner rush so we might as well get that lake scum off of us before we leave.” 

“Lake scum!?” Sidon guffawed. “Link the water was fine--”

“The water here isn’t clean like it is in the domain or the rivers. Trust me you’ll notice it in an hour,” Link signed. Sidon, feeling his own stomach starting to grumble wanted to protest but he trusted his friend’s judgement. 

Besides, if they were going to “go out for the night” Sidon was rather curious as to what that all entailed. 

Apparently, it entailed the plethora of bars in Hateno.  

“You’re serious?” Sidon asked at the dinner table. He found slight trouble adjusting in the tiny wooden chair and rocked to the side a little, testing its strength under his weight to make sure it wouldn’t break on him. Link took a mug of beer in hand and nodded, drinking the cool amber-colored alcohol slowly.

“Oh yes,” Link explained once he set his beer down. “We’ve had a lot of breweries pop up in this region since Ganon’s defeat. There’s a lot of business and trade routes down here and...well, we’re actually really close to one of Hyrule’s esteemed universities. It doesn’t look it but the nightlife here is actually really cool and I’ve heard the bars are excellent." 

“You’re heard,” Sidon said slyly, his claws tapping against his own mug. He didn’t want to be the one to tell Link that the brews here that he had so highly praised were actually quite weak by Zora standards. “So you mean that you haven’t been before?”

“No,” Link shrugged, taking another drink. “I enlisted in the royal military instead of attending higher education, and it’s not like all of my old war buddies are still around to go out with. I haven’t had any reason to try the bars here, or had anyone to go with.”

“But...you want to tonight?” Sidon asked. Link cracked a smile and laughed. 

“If you were interested,” Link shrugged. “We did have a lot of fun hitting the pubs back when I was in the cavalry and my roommates who was older gave me his fake until I was of legal drinking age. But then I became Zelda’s knight before that happened and it’s not quite appropriate for the Hero of Hyrule to be getting wasted on weekends. Especially since the princess was younger than me.”

“Oh, I get it,” Sidon leaned back in his chair (carefully) and took a long gulp of his drink. “So you haven’t had any drinking buddies to go out with and you wanted to seize the opportunity while I’m here?”

Link laughed, ducking his head down in the way he did when he was slightly embarrassed. “It’s not proper, I know. I should have asked first.”

“No, Link,” Sidon grinned. “I’m honored to join you. But tell me...if you weren’t of legal drinking age when you were knighted...exactly how old are you?”

Link reared his head back and blinked several times as if he didn’t know. He took a deep breath and signed, “Are...we counting the hundred years I was in a coma?”

“Er...well,” Sidon felt his brow furrowing and he pursed his lips. “How about this: how old were you when the Great Calamity happened?”

Link’s eyes lifted up to the back of his head as he racked his brain a little, and Sidon felt a little bad for prodding him with questions when not all of his memories were fully in tact yet. Still, the Hylian looked back to Sidon and signed, “Well...if Zelda was seventeen when it happened...then I would have been...twenty.”

Sidon didn’t mean to spit his drink out, truly.

“ _ Twenty!?” _ Sidon guffawed. Link jumped in surprise and looked at Sidon in shock before the prince managed to say, “In my memory I thought you were so much older!”

Link’s lips puckered out in a bemused smile and his shoulders shook as he chuckled, adding, “How would you think that? You were almost as tall as me!”

“Well that’s just it!” Sidon teased. “Look at how much taller I am now!”  

Link ducked his head down and laughed, the two both taking a moment to enjoy the mutual silence before a sad reality suddenly dawned on Sidon, “Link…”

“Yeah?” 

“It’s been over a year since Ganon’s defeat,” Sidon’s eyes looked up to Link who was staring intently at the table. “And two and a half since you awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection…”

“It sure has,” Link muttered, scratching at the wood of the table with his thumb, looking very interested in the dark spot of the staining. 

“Link,” Sidon said a little more firmly, “Did you celebrate your twenty-first alone?”

Link was silent for a long moment and the longer he went without mumbling or signing anything, the more worried Sidon got. True, twenty-one for a Zora was more like being a teenager given their longevity, but Sidon knew as well as anyone that the age marker was a huge celebration for any Hylian entering adulthood. To think that  _ Link _ of all people had no one to go out with on that day--

“Well, your one  _ hundred _ and twenty-first is way less exciting, I would say,” Link signed, a dry expression on his face. 

Sidon guessed the expression that his own face subconsciously melted to was mistaken for pity because the next thing Link had to say was, “Oh don’t give me that look.”

“I’m not wearing a look,” Sidon protested. “As a matter of fact, I’m a little perturbed that you didn’t even tell me when your birthday was!”

“I didn’t think it was important!” 

“You didn’t think it was-” Sidon cut himself short as he scoffed. In one swift motion he lifted his arm to call the waiter forward, “Sir!”

“Y-yes sir, how may I help you,” the waiter asked, staring up at Sidon nervously.  

Sidon wore his most gentle smile and said, “I was wondering, while we’re waiting for our food, do you have any recommendations for any special drinks? We’re celebrating a belated birthday tonight.” 

“Oh!” the waiter’s eyes darted over to Link who was no sinking into his seat with embarrassment, “Master Link! I didn’t realize your birthday was recently!”

“...was...a while a go…” Link choked up, his ears burning. 

Sidon chuckled at the Hylian across from him and turned back to the waiter, explaining, “You see sir, my friend here is rather private about things and didn’t even tell his  _ best friend _ when this important day was. So I’m making up for it now.”

“Oh, of course, sir!” the waiter grinned. “I’ll get those drink menus.”

“Thank you!” Sidon nodded. “And, do you by chance have recommendations for the drink specials going around town tonight?”

“I sure do, I’ll be right back,” the waiter grinned and then he was off. Sidon spun back around to face Link rather smugly, and by this point Link was covering his face with his hand.

“What have you done,” he somehow managed to croak up.

“What I should have done a long while ago, apparently,” Sidon huffed, giving a rather sassy flare of his gills and fins for emphasis. “I would honor your birthday properly back home if you would just give me the date.”

“Sidon, I’m not telling you when my birthday is!” Link signed flippantly before he sunk even  _ further _ to the point that his feet were leaning against Sidon’s legs and he covered his face with both hands. 

“And why not!?”

“You’d turn the damn day into a holiday!”

“No,” Sidon pointed sternly at Link, slamming his elbow on the table. Okay, weak or not the ale was still good and it was definitely starting to go to his head. “That’s what my father would do. I’d just throw a party.” 

“Oh sweet Hylia, Sidon, you and your father should not be given that much power,” Link groaned as he signed.

“Well, if it’s power that concerns you, then you’re praying to the wrong Goddess my friend,” Sidon snorted, taking a rather pleased sip of his drink before Link chucked a bread roll at his face as the waiter returned with the drink menu and specials written down for all the bars in town. 

While they weren’t necessarily... _ drunk _ after dinner, they had still had a fantastic buzz going and Sidon wasn’t sure if he was overly chipper as they trotted down the street because of that or because he was trying aggressively to avoid thinking about how paying the bill ended up. 

Because when asked if the check was separate or together, they both said together. 

And then they fought over who was paying for dinner.

And Link’s offhand comment, “Hell, I’m the one who invited you might as well let me pay for my date!” was still ringing in his ears no matter how many times he told himself that it had been a joke. 

Link was just a few beats behind him, trying to keep up with the Zora’s pace. “Sidon, slow down!”

“I can’t, Link, I have a duty to ensure that my friend has the best belated birthday experience! And the You-Call-It at the Dark Horse starts in twenty minutes and the waiter says it was on the other side of town!” 

“ _ Sidon _ ,” Link hissed, grabbing the Zora by the arm and pulling him to a stop. “We don’t have to hit all the drink specials!”

“Oh yes we do, Link!” Sidon insisted. “I may not have been one for the night scene since I grew up a prince, but I have attended plenty of parties to know that a good drinking experience is one where you don’t miss an opportunity to experience it in full.”

“Sidon,” Link rolled his eyes, “We don’t want to get too sloppy drunk tonight, people might talk if we do.”

“Oh so what,” Sidon snarked. “You’re the  _ Hero of Hyrule _ I think you deserve a night without a worry or care for your image and responsibilities! Besides, you’re with me, and we Zora are known for our tolerance of liquor!” 

That brought a smile to Link’s lips, and whether it was the beer or the hype of the night, Sidon suddenly felt the courage to take the Hylian by the hand as they both ran to their first bar of the night. 

He wasn’t certain what the rainbow flags hanging on the inside of the bar meant though. 

Everyone seemed extremely happy to see them though! 

“Hello!” Sidon greeted to the eyes that stared at them intently at first, figuring it was probably just a shock to see the Zora Prince and the Hero stumbling into a bar on a Friday night. 

“Sidon,” Link whispered nervously, stepping into the Zora. 

“Just smile and wave,” Sidon whispered back. 

Link gave a hesitant giggle as he grinned at the eyes on them and suddenly everyone erupted into huge cheers, people shaking their hands and patting their backs as they took their seat at the bar and before Sidon was even fully adjusted in his chair the bartender slid two shots of something delightful their way and grinned, “It’s on the house, boys.”

“What lovely people!” Sidon grinned, slamming the drink back. Link’s brow was furrowed slightly, his eyes darting around. “Tell me, Link, what do the flags mean?”

“I dunno,” Link shrugged, taking his shot. He grimaced as he set the glass back down and explained, “This must be something new that’s started since I was gone.”

“Huh,” Sidon grunted. “Well, I like it!”

It wasn’t until a few rounds of drinks in when Sidon was making conversation with a Gerudo while Link was in the bathroom did he realize what the flags were for. 

“So tell me,” she asked. “What brings the Mighty Prince Sidon and Hero to this establishment of all places?”

“Oh, well, Link’s birthday was rather recently and he never told me when it was so we’re celebrating,” Sidon said chipperly. The Gerudo leaned towards Sidon, causing the Zora to rear back slightly as she propped her head on her elbow, a devilish smirk crossing her lips.

“So,” she asked, “Does this mean that you and the Hero are...together?”

“Well, we’re good friends, yes, and--” Sidon paused.

His mind came to a screeching halt. 

“What do you mean?” he found himself asking.

“Well, this  _ is _ a gay bar,” the Gerudo pointed out. 

Sidon spit out his drink for the second time that night.

“IT’S A  _ WHAT _ !?” he shrieked at an unholy volume. The woman looked at Sidon in surprise, her eyes narrowing a little defensively.

“Did you not realize this?”

“I--” Sidon felt his cheeks heating up as he looked around. 

No wonder the people had been so friendly with them.

“There aren’t many Zora who… outwardly identify as part of the Community” Sidon admitted finally. “There isn’t really a demand for a place like this.”

“Oh,” the Gerudo grunted. “So...you’re not…?”

Sidon clicked his tongue. 

He thought.

Ohhhh did he think about his next move for a very long moment. 

And somewhere in his drunken stupor, a spout of courage that would either please the Goddesses or make them all roll over in their graves emerged from the depths of the Zora’s soul.

“I’m...unfortunately not dating Link,” Sidon finally said, running his tongue over his teeth as he gauged her next reaction. 

The Gerudo’s eyes lit up like a firework, “But you are…!?”

Sidon hesitantly nodded his head.  

He also flinched when the woman smacked her hand against his back and cheered, “Woooo! Get another drink for my new friend here! He’s gonna need it!” 

There was a loud cheer as the bartender made something that definitely looked larger than a shot and then slid it his way. He held up the glass and inspected it. At least three different types of liquor were poured into it. 

“We call this bomb Liquid Courage,” the bartender said, winking. “Looks like you’re gonna need it to get your man!” 

Sidon nearly lept out of his seat, his gills flared and his tail flinching behind him as those around him laughed. Glancing to the side, Sidon caught a glance of Link returning to him and in one moment of panic or excitement he didn’t know anymore, Sidon tipped the glass back and chugged the bomb as fast as he could before he slammed it onto the bar. 

“Go get him, Tiger,” the Gerudo sneered, wrapping her arms around Sidon’s shoulder and placing a playful kiss on his cheek. 

“I’m a shark,” was all Sidon’s drunk brain could really think to say at this point. 

Link gave a look of confusion as he slid back up on the bar stool, watching the two. Whether she was helping him or trying to ruin his life, Sidon did not know, but the Gerudo leaned over and told Link, “I like your man, Hero! He’s sweet! I’d keep him if I were you!” 

“Um...thanks?” Link asked, his ears giving a lopsided twitch of confusion before he looked back up to Sidon who was now holding his head in his hands. “You okay?”

“Mmhmm,” Sidon groaned, regretting everything. 

“Sidon,” Link tapped the prince’s arm to get him to look down so he could sign, “If you aren’t feeling well we can go home--”

“No!” Sidon slammed his fists against the bar. “I’m perfectly fine. In fact, I’m great! And I think we should…”

He trailed off, eyes scanning his surroundings. There weren’t too many people there, but enough to spread gossip around.

And few enough that Sidon could easily contribute to them remembering nothing of what was going to transpire next. 

He had an opportunity here. 

An opportunity that he should not take. 

Sidon glanced back down at Link and in one fowl swoop he decided, fuck it. It was his friend’s birthday, dammit. 

Pulling a silver rupee out of his wallet Sidon all but shoved it in the bartender’s face and announced, “DRINKS FOR EVERYONE!” 

The cheering that ensued was enormous and carried Sidon and Link through the next six shots they took. 

And Sidon really wished that had been enough to make him forget everything that happened. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drunk Sidon is way braver and more stupid than Sober Sidon, that's all I'm saying.


	19. Black Out or Bottom's Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link gets wasted. 
> 
> Sidon is just as bad. 
> 
> Too many regrets, or not enough?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This the chapter where I kept asking myself if these idiots were in character and then remembered that they are absolutely plastered and making the worst decisions of their life. Or the best. Neither of them know. 
> 
> Also, fun actually serious announcement: to those of you that don't follow me on tumblr, there is a continuation of this story that I will be writing! And in fact, because of the way this story and book 2 unfold, I'll actually be starting on that and posting that relatively soon! (Which sounds weird, I know, but trust me you'll want these dumb shenanigans to be going in conjunction with the hurt that'll unfold, and I promise it'll work I know what I'm doing! More or less!) Also, because of this you might notice this fic getting moved to a different series here soon~ 
> 
> And since I'm doing that I'll be adding a lot of prompts that I answered on Tumblr onto the SidLink Shenanigans series! Get excited! 
> 
> Lastly, PSA kiddos, but know your limits. Don't be a Sidon or a Link. Just because you're the Hero and a Prince doesn't mean you can handle six shots in an hour lmao.
> 
> Enjoy!

Link threw up in the bushes on the way to the fourth bar of the night before the alcohol truly hit Sidon.

And sweet Goddesses, did it hit him like a freight train. 

One moment he was still quite drunk off his ass, but somehow convincing the people around him that he was sober enough to take care of the wasted Hylian, holding his hair back while Link hurled and tried to make conversation in between dry heaving. 

He was quite the talkative drunk too, which surprised him, he didn’t have to rely on sign once in the last hour.

It was a shame that Sidon had a hard time understanding exactly what he was saying though.  

“Are you sure you don’t want to go home?” Sidon asked, his vision starting to blur. He hated asking the question, because they had somehow amassed a following of supporters at the Dark Horse not-so-subtly dropping hints on Link that they, as Hylians called it, “shipped them” together, and Sidon couldn’t bring himself to let them down. 

They even gave them a ship name.

They called it “Sink”, and then the Gerudo woman (whom Sidon learned was named Naboo, after a famous Gerudo Chief Nabooru who opposed Ganon in a previous incarnation; what a splendid woman she must have been!) explained that the name was “so their ship didn’t sink!” 

The way Link burst out into hysterics, laughing at the pun and just adding to it both gave Sidon life and made him sick to his stomach. He wasn’t sure if the nausea was because Link’s love of bad puns had crossed the border from adorable to something unholy or because he felt a possibility that he was being led on unintentionally.

Walking into the second and third bars of the night didn’t help either.  

While they couldn’t go anywhere without getting bombarded with attention from fans of the Hero who was never seen being this social and general curiosity that an actual _prince_ was in _Hateno_ of all places, they didn’t mind the fanfare from the people at Dark Horse. They just genuinely wanted to say hi to two celebrities and ask for an autograph.   

But when they left the safety of the gay bar and into the “World of Heteros” as Naboo called it as she rolled her eyes, Sidon developed a whole new hatred for squealing fangirls. 

Sure, the young Zora who would beckon Sidon and seek out his attention could grate on him, but they meant well and as far as they knew they had every right to believe that at least one of them had a chance at calling herself his wife one day. It wasn’t their fault that the prince they so loved was head over heels for a tiny man with elven ears, and for the most spart they were very respectful of his personal space and the worst they did was ask him for an escort home if it was late at night or charismatically loop an arm around his.

But  _ this _ . The way these Hylian women just... _ threw  _ themselves at Link. Squealing, and gushing, and asking to take a picture with him on his Sheikah Slate, pressing themselves up against Link. Well...when Sidon sat down to drink there he more or less drank to forget that spectacle all while Naboo was tugging on his tail trying to drag him out to the dance floor to go steal Link away from those hordes of girls and Sidon didn’t hesitate to admit that he had some serious doubts that Link would actually be even  _ remotely _ attracted to a Zora male that was twice the height of even a tall Hylian.

“So what?” she had said. “Man, woman, somewhere else on the gender spectrum it wouldn’t matter to me, but if I had someone who could crush my skull with their legs like yours could, I’d seize the opportunity in an instant!”

Sidon spit his drink out for the third time that night. 

So now the teeny tiny sober Sidon that barely still existed in the prince’s mind was screaming about how things were getting way out of hand and he needed to take Link home Right Now,  _ and _ was still having terrifying thoughts about accidentally  _ breaking _ Link in the event that they  _ actually somehow _ got together and  _ somehow  _ decided to be intimate. 

But Drunk Sidon was a monster and didn’t want to let his “Sink Shippers” down tonight. 

Apparently, regardless of what his reasons were, Link wasn’t ready to go home either. The Hylian shot up to a full standing position before he staggered to the sight, his feet sloppily dancing with his body in a sad attempt to catch his balance as he slurred, “Naaaahhhh.”

The way he giggled and hiccupped worried that still shrinking sober Sidon in his mind. “Link, you’re really inebriated right now and earlier, you were worried about others seeing you like this--”

“So what?!” Link spat, pitching forward a little and Sidon wasn’t sure if it was because of his lack of balance or if he was going to throw up again. “I’m the….I’m the…”

Link lost his train of thought, his gaze drifting to their new posi that had been waiting patiently for him to get his shit together so they could set out for the next bar. Jumping down into a squat and shooting his fists into the air, he shouted, “I’M THE FUCKING HERO OF HYRULE!” 

The group erupted into massive cheers, and for the briefest of moments Sidon felt an impending sense of dread. 

“Drink some water there, first, Kiddo,” Naboo offered, shoving a full canteen in his face. Link swiped it out of her hand, chugged it, and muttered something about how he wasn’t a kid, he was just short. And then he said something while pointing in Sidon’s direction but all Sidon could really make out was that he put “Sidon” and “is the baby of the family” in the same sentence and he didn’t quite know if he should feel offended or not. 

Though he did watch as the water started to sober Link up a little and his eyes cleared up and he looked around, standing with a little more balance. If only a little. 

“Better?” Sidon asked. 

Link responded by lifting his hands in the air victoriously, dropping the canteen on the ground and then shooting finger guns at the whole group before taking Sidon _by the hand_ and dragging him forward to the next bar, proclaiming, “C’mooooon, Fish Bae."  

“What’s a bae?” Naboo raised an eyebrow. The other Hylians with them just shrugged in confusion.

“I meant BOY!” Link snapped. He then squinted his eyes and thought for a moment, “...I think.”

“Link,” Sidon started. Okay, even drunk Sidon was getting worried about the man. “Maybe we should go--”

“Not until you fucking sing!” Link slurred, stumbling to the side a bit and pulling Sidon with him. Sidon watched in amazement as Link not only recovered from the stumble but looped his arm around the Zora’s, took his hand again, and then forcibly and clumsily intertwined their fingers together using his other hand to place their hands in the correct position because apparently his dexterity was a “minus ten”, as he kept claiming. 

Honestly, Sidon didn’t know if Link was using the move as insurance to keep from falling again or was actually (and surprisingly assertively) trying to hit on him. But somewhere after Link elaborated on his previous statement by screaming, “You’ve the voice of a fuggin’ angel!!” because of something that Sidon could only interpret as Link heard him in the shower before they went to dinner, the booze hit him. 

And he knew that it hit him, because at some point when they weren’t even halfway across town to the karaoke bar that Link had his sights on, they found themselves surrounded by a large crowd of drunk students, and when a herd of squealing girls ran up to Link, Sidon plucked the Hylian off the ground, held him over his head and screamed, “THIS IS MY LINK!” 

The girls froze (and stumbled forward a lot) in their tracks, staring up at Sidon with apprehension and the microscopic sober Sidon left inside him warned him to not come off too intimidating, so Sidon lowered Link just enough to pull him to his chest and proclaim, “there are many others just like him, but this one is mine!” 

The girls let out a series of groans and disgruntled mumbles about how unfair it was that the men in front of them were both really pretty and really taken but left Link alone after that. Even so, Sidon was furiously scanning the crowd and holding Link so close that his feet were well of the ground and their faces were smooshing together. 

Link let out a mix between a hiccup and a giggle.

“Hehehe, I’m  _ yours _ ,” Link muttered. Sidon didn’t say anything but let out a snort as he started to set Link down, but the Hylian let out an incoherent scream and launched himself against Sidon’s side, hugging him with his arms and legs.

“Link--!” Sidon grunted in surprise. 

“I’m yours!” Link repeated smugly. “Never let go!”

Sidon took all of two seconds to process the statement before he stood up straight and proudly led the way into the karaoke bar with Link on his back like a damn koala. When he swung the door open and marched inside the bar, there were a few head swivels their direction as the rest of their group filtered inside to get drinks. Link inch wormed up Sidon so he could prop himself up on Sidon’s shoulder, pointed at Sidon, and shouted, “I’M HIS!” 

There were some cheers but everyone was too inebriated at this point to really process that the Hero was using the Zora Prince as his ride, and if they did they were just simply too drunk to care or be surprised by the sight. Naboo and her girlfriends found a table over in the corner while Sidon ordered a beer for himself and Link, carrying one in each hand while Link -  _ still riding on Sidon’s back _ \- flailed his arms uselessly forward grabbing the air and whining for Sidon to give him his drink.

“Not yet.”

“But I waaaant.”

“We gotta sit down." 

“But Sidooooon.”

“You sure are chatty when you’re drunk.”

“Mmwell yer the only fugger that’s worth of m’voice I guess.”

“What was that?”

“Nothin’.”

When they sat down, it wasn’t until Link realized he couldn’t drink his beer  _ and _ cling to Sidon’s back without spilling all over the Zora before he sat down in a chair like a normal person. Sidon was also really thankful for their new Gerudo friend who slid several glasses of water their direction because the two most certainly would have died that night otherwise.

Granted, they were both really salty when she cut them both off to the point that they were pouting in the corner leaning against each other with their arms crossed while the rest of their group went out to the dance floor. 

“Who th’fuck cares if we’re drunk,” Link groaned. “I’m not that baaad.”

“Bitch, I’m a prince,” Sidon spat in agreement. “I do what I want!” 

Link sputtered out a fit of giggles.

“What!?”

“You said a bad word, Sidon.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk!” Sidon snarled, leaning away from Link just enough to glare down at him. Link let out a moan and uncrossed his arms to reach out towards Sidon pleadingly, his head trying to follow the Zora that was still leaning away. 

“Noooo,” he moaned. “Pillow.”

Sidon let out a huff, a short and soft growl escaping him as he leaned back against Link. The Hylian giggled again.

“What?”

“It tickles,” Link grinned, poking at the prince’s side. Sidon flinched when Link’s finger grazed one of his gills, but that just got him laughing.

“What? This does?” Sidon asked, and then let out a louder, much more voluntary growl. Link snickered, both leaning his head into Sidon more and drawing his side away from the ripples of air that left his friend’s gills. 

“Stoooop,” Link whined, not so seriously. Sidon growled again, but was cut short by his own laughter, pitching forward as he snorted, which made Link laugh harder, which made Sidon laugh harder. 

They had their heads on the table and were pounding their fists in the wood before they finally settled down, and when they did, Link turned his head to the side and slurred, “Yerrr soooo cute.”

Sidon spat up a laugh.

“Whaaaat?” Link droned, his brow furrowed. “You are!" 

“How am  _ I _ the cute one!?” Sidon snickered. “Have you looked in the mirror?!”

Link sat up fully, and turned in the chair with his legs crossed to face Sidon with a pouty look on his face. “No! You’re cuter!”

“You don’t get to sit like that with that cute little look on your face and tell me that I’m cuter!” Sidon sneered, pointing at Link and moving his hand up and down to prove his point.

“Oh yeah!?” Link leaned forward, glaring up at Sidon. “Well--if I’m cute then you’re fuckin’ precious!”

“Prove it!” 

“When your tail wags its the most cute thing I’ve ever seen!” 

“Well--” Sidon huffed, feeling very flustered for a moment before he drunkenly shoved his face into Link’s and proclaimed, “Your ears twitch with your expression and I can tell what you’re thinking even if you keep a straight face because they get all droopy or smiley or point at two different angles and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!”

“You’re smile is the cutest one in the world!”

“You’re eyes are brighter than a cloudless sky and I love them!!”

“I WANNA BOOP THE CUTE LITTLE SNOOT, SIDON!” 

“THEN BOOP IT!”

Sidon didn’t know why he challenged Link to do that of all things, nor did he expect Link to follow through with it and yet here he was, extending his finger forward and pressing it against Sidon’s snout, Sidon’s eyes followed Link’s finger in surprise, causing them to cross and with a startled grunt, his tongue poked out of his mouth involuntarily. 

When Link withdrew his hand he smacked both hands to either side of his face and proclaimed, “OH SWEET HYLIA THAT WAS THE CUTEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!”

Feeling embarrassed and undeserving of the flattery, Sidon shouted back, “I LOVE THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO TALK THIS MUCH TO ME!”

“I’VE NEVER TALKED THIS MUCH IN MY LIFE.”

“YOU’RE VOICE IS THE SWEETEST SOUND I’VE EVER HEARD I FEEL SO HONORED.”

“YOU’RE THE SWEETEST PERSON I’VE EVER KNOWN!” Link shouted, grabbing Sidon by the shoulders and shaking him, “WHY ARE YOU STILL SINGLE!” 

Sidon retaliated by pressing his face up against Link’s, grabbing him by the shoulders also, and shouting, “I’M WAITING ON MY SOULMATE, LINK. MY SOULMATE!”

“WHO IS IT!?”

“I don’t know!” Sidon scoffed, only just now realizing that they were both practically screaming. He leaned back and threw his hand absentmindedly in the air. “I don’t even know if they exist!”

“Sidon, Sidon,” Link clambered up onto the Zora’s lap, clapped his hands around Sidon’s face and smooshed it before he whispered, “Godesses, I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“Do what?” Sidon asked, his voice muffled through his squished cheeks. 

“Nothing!” Link spat. “B’Sidon...look...you are.”

“Yes.”

“The single greatest.”

“No don’t say it.”

“Person.”

“Link, stop.”

“To ever exist.”

“Link, nooooo.”

“LET ME PROCLAIM MY LOVE FOR A CHANGE!!” Link snapped back before his eyes darted around and his voice quieted back down, “If the Goddesses didn’t make a soulmate for you then they have committed a the worst crime!”

Sidon also didn’t think he would cry that night, but here he was, with his eyes watering up as he blubbered, “You think that of me?!”

“Duh,” Link scoffed. “I said you were a catch once, didn’t I!?” 

“Well, yes, but--”

“Didn’t I!?”

“Yes…”

“Sidon,” Link rolled his head back indignantly, a smug smiling catching his lips. “Cod-dess only knows that you deserve love more than any of us.”

Sidon’s eyes dried up real quick. “...did you just use another fish pun on me!?”

“Yeah,” Link snickered. “Sorry, I’m hooked.”

“Link no--”

“And I gotta say,” Link added. “I’m really glad that I can talk to you like this right now, even if I am wasted. Because to me...you’re my very special frond.”

“I’m divorcing you,” Sidon spat, his head feeling to heavy to hold up so he plopped it against Link’s chest. 

“We aren’t married, Sidon.”

“I’m still divorcing you.”

“No, Sidon, don’t do that!” Link pleaded, “Because  _ eel _ miss you too much!” 

“Liiiiiiink,” Sidon groaned heavily, burying his face in Link’s chest and not-so-subtly taking in his scent for as long as possible. “You’re the worst!”

“And you’re the best!” Link hiccupped. “That’s why we belong together!” 

Had Sidon been sober, he might have actually taken the copious hints that were being thrown his way. 

But unfortunately he wasn’t.

And he didn’t.  

Instead in a brilliant moment of word association whilst some hopeless sap that was taking karaoke way too seriously belted out an arrangement of an old Hylian proposal song, Sidon got a really bad idea.

“Link,” Sidon hiccuped. “Let’s sing.”

“Whaaat!?” Link guffawed, resisting slightly as Sidon stood up and tried to pull on his hands to get him to follow. “Sidon I can’t  _ sing _ in front of people!” 

“Sure you can!” 

“No!” Link whined. “I can barely talk!”

“You’re talking right now!”

“Yeah, because I’m drunk and it's you!”

“Awww, but Link,” Sidon whined, pouting. “But I don’t wanna go by myself. For me? Please?”

Link blinked several times, swaying to the side, before he finally shrugged and followed Sidon to the request booth. Sidon had to applaud the advancement in Hyrule’s technology over the last few years, as they had engineered the technology from a few Sheikah Slates that were recovered to create screens that could display text and moving visuals. They even could connect these images to speakers that had been used over the last fifty years to record and play back sounds and music. While musical arrangements and recordings had been popular in the Domain, Sidon had never seen television screens used to project the words going with the music for the singer to follow along before. 

In short, while Sidon knew the tune to the song this drunk and crying Hylian was singing, he hadn’t known the words until he was watching them scroll on screen.

And it had him crying. 

 

_ I’ll swim and sail on savage seas _

_ With Ne’er a fear of drowning _

_ And gladly ride the waves of life _

_ If you would marry me! _

 

Sidon sniffled and Link looked up at him, grinning.

“What?” Sidon spat.

“Are you crying?” 

“It’s a beautiful song, Link!” 

Link was silent for a long moment. 

 

_ No scorching sun nor freezing cold _

_ Will stop me on my journey _

_ If you will promise me your heart _

_ And love me for all eternity. _

 

“We should sing that song,” Link nodded suddenly.

“What?” Sidon cringed. “Link, we can’t sing that together.”

“Why not?”

Sidon could tell he was starting to sober up because suddenly the dawning reality of what Link was suggesting was starting to occur to him. 

Instead of thinking about  _ those _ implications, Sidon argued a different point: “Because the guy right in front of us is singing it!”

“So!?” Link shrugged, teetering to the side again. “I’m the fucking Hero of Hyrule and you’re a damn beautiful prince, we do what we want!”

“We can’t sing a proposal song, Link!”

“Why the fuck not!?”

“Because…” Sidon trailed off, racking his brain for an excuse, “Because we already requested a different song!” 

“Oh riiight,” Link nodded, but Sidon wasn’t entirely sure he was following and he must have definitely been sobering up because now he was nervous and couldn’t believe what he was actually doing.  

“I need another drink,” Sidon announced, storming up to the bar.

“Get me one too!”

Sidon waved to Link in understanding and ordered two of the strongest drinks on the menu and a few shots of Akkalan rum for himself. 

Behind him, Naboo snuck up on Sidon and snarked, “Didn’t I cut you two off?”

“No!” Sidon shouted back shamelessly. 

“Uh-huh,” she glared. “Well, if you two are dead in the morning it’s not my fault.”

“Naboo, please,” Sidon slurred, taking the second shot. “I am a proud Zora Prince and we know how to handle our liquor!”

“Yeah, is that why you two are going up to sing a rock song when Link is  _ mute _ ?”

“It’s  _ selective mutism _ , Naboo,” Sidon stuck his tongue out at the Gerudo. “He can talk when he wants just fine so long as he’s too wasted to care about anything.”

“Welp,” Naboo simply patted Sidon on the back, “Good luck, Shark Boy.”

“Thank you,” Sidon responded with a boiling determination burning his gut (or maybe that was just the rum).

He returned to Link just in time for the song to start, the synthesizer chirping in the background.

He could not believe he was doing this.  

He definitely could not believe he was doing this. 

To quell his disbelief, Sidon tapped his glass against Link’s and cheered themselves before chugging their beers in the time before the lyrics even started and needless to say, he didn’t remember much of what happened the rest of the night. 

He remembered people cheering loudly when he started singing. 

He remembered Link only really chiming in on a few key phrases in the chorus of the song, and screaming it at a deafening volume. 

He also remembered himself and Link screaming the lyrics to each other, with the bar backing them up in the background.

 

_ WE BELONG TO THE LIGHT, WE BELONG TO THE THUNDERRRR _

_ WE BELONG TO THE SOUND OF THE WORDS WE’VE BOTH FALLEN UNDER _

_ WHATEVER WE DENY OR EMBRACE, FOR WORSE OR FOR BETTERR _

_ WEEEE BELONG, WE BELONG, WE BELONG TOGETHER _

 

And not necessarily in this order, Sidon also remembered Link climbing up onto the bar, power sliding on it, back bending as people threw rupees on him, ripping his shirt off, being talked out of ripping his pants off, throwing his shirt to some audience member in the crowd and then crying because Sidon didn’t catch it because he was too busy hitting the high notes, and then at some point long after the song had ended but still managing to keep the bar’s attention, Link screamed, “SIDON, CATCH!” and then jumped off the bar as Sidon was trying to take a shot with a few of the girls that had sauntered up to him, and then came flying towards him as Sidon was screaming and dropped the glasses in his hands for the sake of trying to catch him. 

Everything was a serious blur after that.  

But he did hazily remember not really wanting to let go of Link the rest of the night and they somehow lost track of Naboo but Link seemed to think it was because one of her girlfriends started throwing up and the other was trying to start a fight so they wound up on their own. Either way, Sidon did not want to let go of Link. 

Not even when they were failing to walk back effectively and had to enlist the help of a very nice gentleman named Bolson to get them back. 

“Yerrrr very nice,” Sidon praised, stumbling to the side. Bolson patted him on the back but didn’t say much in response and if he noticed the way Sidon was pawing at Link from behind the elder Hylian’s back, very disgruntled that there was a person separating them, he did not show it. 

“Bolson’s the bessst,” Link added, leaning against the man. “Heee sold me my house.”

“How wonderful!” Sidon cheered in agreement. 

“Well, Link has a wonderful spirit, I couldn’t turn him down!” Bolson chirped in response. “But are you boys going to be alright?”

“Oh yah,” Link nodded.

“Definitely.”

“The best.”

“The greatest.”

Link hiccuped in agreement. 

It was a miracle they got back to the house, but as soon as he locked onto the pond, Sidon broke away from Bolson and bounded forward excitedly.

“Prince Sidon, what’re you--”

“This looks soooo comfy!” Sidon cheered, falling face-first into the pond and the cold water lulled him to sleep almost instantly.

Link kicked him awake, “Sidon noooo.”

“Mmmmmmffff,” Sidon groaned in return, blowing bubbles out of the water. 

“I wanna cuttle with the fish!” Link pleaded and Sidon tried to sink his face into the mud at the bottom of the shallow body of water in retaliation against the last pun of the night. 

“Sidon please…” Link whined, “I wanna blanket fort!”

At that, Sidon pushed himself out of the pond and spun around excitedly to face Link, a lily pad sticking to one side of his face. “Did you say blanket fort!?”

“Yah.”

“Then what’re we waiting for!?” Sidon cheered, grabbing Link by the hand.

“Yaaaaaas!” 

“A-are you boys going to be alright?” Bolson asked. 

“Oh yeah,” Sidon slurred, falling backwards slightly. “Thank you, Bolson!”

“THANK YOU BOLSON!”

“Okee doo~” Bolson shrugged. “Well, I’ll try to stop by to check on you two in the morning or send Purah.”

“Okaaaaaay!” Sidon and Link sang before they stumbled into the house. They got about as far as pulling all of the pillows and blankets off of Link’s bed and throwing them on the floor by the dining table before Sidon collapsed again, not wanting to lift his head from the pillows. 

“Sidoooon, we gotta blanket,” Link groaned.

“I wanna cuddle.”

“Sidoooooon.”

“Liiiiiink,” Sidon droned, lifting his head. Barely remembering that Link called him cute earlier in the night he batted his eyes and smiled as big as he could manage to try to coax him over to the pillow mound.

“Okaaay,” Link nodded, and then sat on the floor just out of arm’s reach.

“Link that’s too far away.”

“Well for fuck,” Link whined before he pitched forward and attempted to roll forward towards Sidon. His head broke his momentum, so he used his feet to push against the ground and scoot him back to Sidon and it either took two minutes or four hours before he finally settled down in the Zora’s arms but the minute he did, he tucked his head against Sidon’s chest and passed out for the rest of the night, snoring louder than a Hinox. 

Still too drunk to overthink anything, Sidon wrapped both his arms around the Hylian and fell asleep faster than he ever had in his life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These idiots are out of control.


	20. Hangover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon and Link wake up the next morning from having made so. Many. Mistakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....you know what they say: write drunk, edit sober.
> 
> Well. I may have just written sober. Taken a break. Written tipsy, and then edited while absolutely plastered. I would apologize for this but it just seems fitting considering the circumstances of the last two chapters.

For a moment, when Sidon awoke he was very convinced an entire lobe of his brain disconnected from the rest of it within his skull and he was slowly bleeding out from the inside.

His head just hurt that badly. 

“Owwww,” he let out a groan, squinting his eyes shut because suddenly he could feel the rotation of the entire world the floor he was laying on was spinning so much. Rolling over onto his side, Sidon praised the goddesses that his drunk self at least threw enough pillows onto the ground the night before that the side of his crest could tuck in between two and he could lay comfortably. He then pulled Link closer to him as he buried his face against the Hylian’s back. 

Suddenly, Link let out a groan, and between the sound of his response and the sensation of his skin heating up, Sidon came to his senses. His eyes flew open and he stiffened. 

Oh no.

Oh dear. 

Memories of his foolishness hit him harder across the head than his hangover and suddenly, Sidon really wanted to die.

They sang to each other. 

They fought over who was cuter.

_ Link booped his snout. _

Sidon used the word "boop" and "snoot" in the same sentence, for heaven's sake! 

“Link,” Sidon croaked, his heart racing.  

“Mmmmmmffff,” Link groaned, curling into a tighter ball before swiftly rolling over to his other side. Sidon flinched, trying to draw away from Link but he just kept snuggling closer until Sidon gave up and Link could press his face against the zora’s neck. Link settled back into a sigh, relaxing. Not sure what else to do, Sidon wrapped his arms back around Link and they stayed there like that. Sidon was ready to go back to sleep again when he suddenly felt every single muscle in Link’s back contract. 

“...Link?” Sidon croaked again, alarm bells ringing in his head, causing his skull to pound more. Heavens, did it hurt to keep his eyes open. 

Link’s hands flew up and pushed against Sidon’s chest, yelping. Sidon jumped in surprise, suddenly worrying that Link somehow thought that he was the one who pulled them into that position, lifting his hands and jumping away from the Hylian who stumbled backwards.  

They both had to take a good five minutes to recover from sitting up so quickly before anything was said. 

“Ohhhhh my head,” Sidon finally moaned, holding his head in his hands. Link was pinching his nose and he fell back onto his back, sprawled out along the cool wooden floor. 

“What the fuck,” Link groaned, still sounding rather drunk with his slurred speech. “What did we drink?”

“What  _ didn’t _ we drink?” Sidon retorted, covering his eyes with his hands and hoping that the darkness would quell his horrible nausea. 

He could hear Link sitting back up and starting to say something back but he grunted and made a sudden “hrrrrrgh” noise before Sidon lifted his head and found Link sprinting to the bathroom and then suddenly dropping to his knees and hurling into a toilet. 

“Liiink?” Sidon said weakly, but then the sudden urge to purge any and everything that was left in his stomach overcame him as well. Swiping a hand over his mouth and gagging, Sidon sprinted to the bathroom where Link was now resting his head against the toilet half asleep, and stumbled forward accidentally kicking the Hylian in an attempt to regain his balance.

“Tha fuck’re you doing?”

“Please move.” 

“No, I was here first!” 

"Please move."

"No!"

“ _Please move_ , I--" 

Sidon couldn’t finish. 

He shoved Link to the side, causing the Hylian to fall back on his back and normally the proud Zora prince would have had more dignity and felt horrible for being so rude but in this moment his primal need to just upchuck everything was the only thing his brain could process. 

He didn’t know how long he had been kneeling there dry-heaving, but it was long enough for Link to lay down, snore for a few minutes, then sit up out of nowhere and stagger back to his feet, be gone for a while, and then come back with a blanket draped over him and a glass of water in hand. 

“Water?” he offered, holding the glass out towards Sidon. The prince, in turn, let out a miserable groan and leaned against Link. The Hylian ran his hand over Sidon’s tail. 

“I didn’t mean to push you out of the way of the toilet,” Sidon apologized. 

Link chuckled and waited for Sidon to open his eyes before he responded, evidently having regained some sobriety as he was back to speaking with his hands, “I think I’m pretty much done. I got a lot out last night. Also Purah stopped by to make sure we were alive. She brought some breakfast from the market.”

Sidon responded with another groan and sighed, “Excellent.”

Link laughed and noted, “That doesn’t sound nearly as earnest as you usually do.” 

“Well, I have to admit I meant that statement with a bit of sarcasm,” Sidon grumbled. 

“Why?”

“Well, look at us, Link,” Sidon threw a hand in the air. “All of Hateno probably knows what we did and if you Hylians gossip anything like Zora do news will reach the Domain in a matter of days.”

“Yeah but,” Link said out loud, but then stopped, his voice catching in his throat. He shrugged and Sidon looked up to see him sign, “I had fun.”

“Mmmm,” Sidon hummed, managing  smile. “As did I...just...let’s _never_ speak of this to my father, ever.”  

Link spat out a laugh and pat the Zora’s head, but Sidon wasn’t nearly so humored.

“I’m serious, Link,” Sidon mumbled, speaking more to himself. “We Zora are known to hold our liquor way better than I currently am right now! And to think that I got so out of sorts off of  _ Hylian  _ beer! Oh, what would he think!? I’d be a laughing stock!”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Link asked, laughing. “Your tolerance?”

“Yes!” Sidon scoffed, rolling his eyes. “It’s bad enough that he has to know that his son is the one  _ gay Zora _ in all the Domain but to hear that I’m weak to…”

Sidon trailed off when he felt Link’s gentle stroking around his tail stop abruptly and it dawned on the prince a little too slowly what he had just said. 

Oh no.

What did he just say!?

What had he just done!? 

“Sidon…” Link’s voice was soft, sounding a little broken almost.

“I…” Sidon started. 

Oh no.  

Sidon felt his arms trembling, and he wasn’t sure if it was the sudden weakness that stomach illness often brought or the horrible anxiety that clenched his heart that caused it. What was even worse were the dark whispers gnawing at the back of his mind, ridiculing him for being so foolish, cursing him for letting his secret slip.

It all boiled down to his instincts telling him one thing: “run." 

“I have to go,” Sidon blurted, standing to his feet suddenly, startling Link.

“What? Sidon--!”

Sidon pushed passed the Hylian and tried to run. Tried to get away and find a place where he could cry out and let out all of his angers and frustrations.

But alas, a hangover was truly a curse that he deserved at this point and the dizziness and nausea that still wouldn’t subside even after emptying all that was in his stomach caused Sidon to stagger against the side, leaning most of his weight against the door frame before sinking to his knees in defeat. 

“Fuck!” 

“Sidon! Hold on!” Link ordered, placing a hand on Sidon’s back.  

Sidon squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will his headache away but instead tears spilled out of his eyes and he choked up a sob. He felt Link kneel down beside him, his voice softly whispering, “It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry,” Sidon whimpered. “I’m so sorry!” 

“What? No--”

“I’m sorry!” Sidon cried out again, ducking his head forward. 

How could he have let this happen? 

Why would Link even extend such kindness to him even now?

It hurt worse than a hole in his chest, the way Link insisted on helping him calm down and guiding him to the table so they could eat breakfast. 

Both men were painfully silent, having to lean their heads in their hands for extra stability as they slowly recovered from the night. 

Link was the first to speak.  

Or rather...he waited for the moment Sidon dared look up before he signed, prefacing his statement with the fact that they should  _ probably _ talk and try ecount the night’s events and then waiting for Sidon to reluctantly agree to that before he signed simply, “So...you’re gay.”

Sidon felt another sob bubble up in the back of his throat as he straightened himself up, trying to put on a brave face. He chewed on the inside of his mouth as he contemplated what to say and how to say it, but that same need to get the hell out of there kept tugging him until finally, Sidon set his fork down and said, “If that makes you uncomfortable...I understand. I can pack up my things and leave by this afternoon--”

The speed at which Link moved always astounded the prince, especially considering the world of hurt the Hylian must’ve been in at present. But still, Link moved swiftly to the other side of the table and pressed firm on Sidon’s shoulders, forcing him to sit back down before he even realized he was standing up to leave. 

When he looked into Link’s eyes, those blue beautiful eyes, they were...watering. As if he was hurt. 

Lip quivering, Link lifted his hands and asked, “Why would you even suggest that!?” 

“I…” Sidon was at a loss for words. “But Link...y-you’re okay with this? The way that I am? I just...I feel like something is just  _ so wrong with me _ .”

“Stop that,” Link croaked, gently tapping the side of Sidon’s face. The prince let out another whimper and shook his head, feeling tears welling up all over again. 

“But Link--” Sidon broke out into a heave, trying not to sob before he continued, “Link, I’m the Zora  _ prince _ . I’m supposed to be the King and yet I...I’m not supposed to be this way!”

Link tapped Sidon’s face with a little more force this time, but when Sidon thought he would withdraw his hand, Link gripped hold of his chin and forced him to look up. Face the man before him. 

“Well,” Link breathed out loud before he withdrew his hands from Sidon to continue. Sidon caught a few tears in Link’s beautiful blue eyes as he smiled so sadly and explained, “Then I guess there’s something  _ really _ wrong with me.”

“What?” Sidon croaked, staring up at Link in confusion. Link simply shook his head, laughing. Though a few of those laughs sounded more like sad little sobs. 

“I’m the _Hero_ , Sidon,” Link explained, unable to keep eye contact. “Kings are supposed to have families of their own. And you _still_ made that happen - you have _Nami_ now! But I...I’m not supposed to have anyone.”  

Seeing Link speak of himself that way, it tied his heart into knots. “No, Link, don’t say that!”

“But it’s true,” Link continued. “The Hero’s duty is to defeat Ganon and then move on to his next reincarnation. There is nothing in the stories of him settling down and having a family and falling in love. There are barely even hints of it! And yet I...I want all of that Sidon...but…” 

Link trailed off, taking several deep breaths as the pieces started clicking together for Sidon.

They way he acted weird whenever Sidon asked about his relationship with Zelda.

The sad, distressed look in his eyes whenever he spoke about Mipha.

Sidon could just see the guilt weighing down on his friend when Link looked up so sadly and signed, “I wanted  _ so bad _ to love your sister, Sidon. I really did. I thought I could, I-I wanted to make her happy but the night before the Calamity, she just poured out her heart to me and-I wanted to say yes and make her happy!”

“But you wouldn’t have been happy,” Sidon said, shaking his head. “Link, that’s not what Mipha would have wanted for you--”

“I know that,” Link signed, almost angrily. He took a calming breath and continued, “That’s why...that’s why I couldn’t say yes, no matter how badly I wanted. I thought she would’ve hated me. I know I hated me." 

“Link…”

“But she didn’t,” Link looked Sidon dead in the eye and forced himself to keep his smile, no matter how bad his lip was quivering. “She cried, yes, and I felt awful. But...when I tried to apologize, tell her how much I cared about her and how much  _ I  _ was at fault and how wrong  _ I  _ was because no matter how much I told myself that it wasn’t for me, I still wanted a family and a future but for some awful reason I wanted all of that with  _ another man _ and that I thought that was  _ so wrong _ ...she just stopped me. And she took my hands and she told me to never think so poorly of myself because there’s nothing wrong with being true to yourself and seeking true love no matter who it is.”

It was once again Sidon’s turn to duck his head in a sad attempt to conceal his tears, but Link tilted his chin back up so they could look into each other’s eyes, and revealed the streams flowing down his cheeks.

“So I guess,” Link continued, “If there’s anything wrong with us, it’s that we’re both making Mipha roll over in her grave right now by insisting something is wrong with us.”

“Don’t we make a pair,” Sidon chuckled, a few tears falling out of his eyes. He rose to his feet and held his arms out in invitation. Link coughed and nodded his head, smiling still as he stepped into Sidon. 

They shared a long, tearful embrace, but Sidon wouldn’t have minded if it had been longer and less tearful, but then Link’s ears twitched slightly and muttered, “Fuck my head hurts…”

“...I wouldn’t mind taking a nap if the opportunity presents itself,” Sidon agreed, glancing at the pillows that were still strewn about on the floor. 

“Good idea,” Link nodded, and then immediately collapsed face first on the floor. 

Sidon spent a full five minutes debating whether or not to join Link right next to him before Link all the sudden got back up and started scooting chairs out from the table. 

“What are you doing?” Sidon asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Too bright,” Link muttered, his hair sticking up on one side of his head. The Hylian looked very exhausted suddenly.

“So you’re building a blanket fort?”

Link looked up at Sidon indignantly with an expression that clearly warned Sidon to not question him in the comforts of his own home while he draped the final blanket over the chairs, kicked all of the pillows into one spot under the fort, grabbed the blanket he had been sleeping with, and then dove underneath. 

It took all of a moment to wonder if Link was still a little tipsy and then figure he must’ve been because Sidon shrugged and followed Link, trying to squeeze his large form under the small fort. 

But he had to say, the darkness under the blankets was infinitely better. 

However he could not believe that he was laying so close to Link.

After blurting out that he was gay.

And having Link come out to him in return. 

“Sidon,” Link breathed sleepily. 

“Hm?” Sidon asked. Link’s eyes fluttered open and he carefully lifted his hand and Sidon watched as it hovered in the air for a moment before settling on the Zora’s chest.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’s all okay.”

Sidon smiled, figuring that his friend could only be referring to his accidental confession. “Thank you, my friend. That truly means a lot.”

“You’re amazing,” Link said earnestly. “And...I…”

Sidon waited patiently for Link to finish his statement with either words or sign, but when none came, his curiousity got the better of him: “You...what?”

“Nothing.”

“Link, come on, tell me.”

“Nope.”

“Link--”

Link cut the prince off by tucking his head against Sidon’s chest, making himself comfortable and also very clear that he was not going to reveal any more information. Sidon couldn’t help but chuckle as he brushed a few strands out of the Hylian’s face, watching as he drifted into sleep before he too closed his eyes for a few hours. 

 

* * *

 

When Link awoke the second time that morning, he knew he must’ve still been drunk before because he was definitely sober now and oh sweet Hylia this was so much worse. 

When he felt Sidon stir and then heard him make a gagging noise before he sat up abruptly, accidentally pulled the blankets off as he hit them with his face thus causing sunlight to flood into both of their eyes, and then let out a “Oh no” before sprinting to the bathroom to hurl his breakfast, Link remained on the floor and covered his eyes with his hands and couldn’t help but feel like they really, truly deserved all of this.  

“Sidon?” Link called out when the Zora got silent. 

“I deserve this!” Sidon groaned, his voice echoing in the toilet bowl. “All of it!”

“You’re overdramatic!”

“Yes I know!”  

Link let out another groan and took one of the pillows Sidon had been laying on and put it over his face, basking in the relief that both the darkness and the comforting Zora smell that now permeated off of it brought. 

The rest of the day was, needless to say, spent trying to find Hangover remedies. Link soaked in the tub full of scalding water for a full two hours, at one point and when he finally got out of the hot bath he found Sidon exactly where he left him: face-first in an ice chest. It wasn’t until Link made fun of him for being in an ice chest for longer than he was soaking in a spot that made sense did he realize that the main reason Sidon hadn’t moved was because his head got stuck and the numbing sensation was at least better than the migraine. Needless to say, they spent a full twenty more minutes trying to pry him out of it. 

By the time the sun was hanging high in the sky in the late afternoon, they were both sitting on the floor with ice packs on their heads and fighting over whose turn it was to refill their water glasses when Sidon’s stomach growled loudly.

“Oh now I have an appetite,” he snarled grumpily. Link couldn’t help but crack a smile and offer to will himself to just do  _ something _ and make dinner when suddenly, it dawned on him.

He still didn’t have any food in the house. 

And he spent almost all of his money on drinks last night.

“Fuck,” Link grumbled.

“What?”

“No money,” Link mumbled, smacking his head against the wall. 

“Did you really drink that much last night?”

“No...well...yeah,” Link mumbled, and then lazily signed, “I...may have told the bartender to put all of your drinks on my tab after the first bar last night.”

“Ohhh, Link,” Sidon groaned, smacking his hand to his face. “That’s why my bill was so low last night...but seriously, why would you do that? I may have lost control of myself but I’m by no means a ‘cheap date’ as one might say." 

“I wasn’t thinking,” Link signed, groaning.  

There was a long pause before Sidon forced himself to stand up, saying, “Well, since you bought much more than what I would have allowed you to if I knew...I’ll pay for dinner.”

“You don’t have to--”

“Um, yes I do,” Sidon said sternly. “Come on, time to face our mistakes and face the rest of the village.”

Link groaned but took the hand that was offered to him and forced himself to look decent enough to go out into public. 

Amazingly enough, the walk outside and feeling the nice breeze hitting their faces cleared them both up of their headaches and Link was feeling pretty normal once they reached the market. 

Normal enough to, dare he admit it, try to gauge where exactly Sidon was at in life by...erm...taking his hand.

Or at least trying to.

He was barely grazing Sidon’s hand. 

By most standards he wasn’t trying all that hard. 

And yet somehow this was still consuming all of his willpower. 

Damn. 

When they got to the market, Link was feeling completely out of sorts and not because he had a residual hangover still. 

But at least they hadn’t run into anyone from the night before. 

Well...they almost didn’t. 

Sidon was staring in awe at the wide variety of fresh foods in the market that he has having a hard time deciding what he wanted to eat. 

“It all just looks so wonderful!” Sidon praised the elder woman at the stand. “I simply can’t decide!”

“You’re gonna have to,” Link signed, getting a little impatient. They hadn’t eaten since breakfast and he was starting to get rather grumpy about it. 

“I know, Link, I just--” Sidon started to say but was cut off abruptly (which was an odd trend Link was noticing starting to happen to both of them).

A hand clapped both of them warmly on the back as a Gerudo pushed her face in between them and cheered, “Heeeey you two! How’s the power couple of Hyrule doing?”

“N-Naboo!?” Sidon shrieked, leaping away from her. Link was really glad that he remembered her name because he barely remembered that they found a Gerudo that was arguably gayer than he was the previous night. 

“Hey, hot shot,” Naboo laughed, putting an arm on Link’s shoulder. She then glanced down at the Hylian and asked, “Soooo, did you two have a good night?”

Link looked up at her, trying _really hard_ to remember the night so he knew what grounds she would have to be implying that he actually lived his dream and slept with Sidon.   

Once again, Link had to praise every Goddess that ever lived that Sidon at least had a better memory as he pinched the bridge of his snout and groaned, “Naboo...can I speak to you for a moment?”

“Sure,” the Gerudo shrugged. Link watched in distress as Sidon abandoned his duties of picking food to just _talk_ with this woman.  

“What about dinner?” Link signed, glaring the Zora down.

“Uhhhh...well we all know I’m bad at deciding!” Sidon laughed nervously, hastily trying to drag Naboo away. “You know what I like!” 

Link glared Sidon down as he ran to the other side of the market but rolled his eyes and complied, figuring it was the fastest way for him to get food in his system. Plucking a few apples from the stand and picking out some prime meat, Link tried to remember what he had made for Sidon the last time he was in the Domain that had the Zora’s tail wagging for two days. Looking up for a moment, Link found where Sidon and Naboo were standing and the Zora looked rather...distraught?

No, that wasn’t the right word. He looked very apologetic and was...shaking his head a lot as Naboo scolded him about something and if Link focused really hard he could almost read Sidon’s lips mouthing, “I’m working on it!”

Working on what?

“Ah, young love,” the woman at the stand sighed. “It gives me hope in this world.” 

“Huh?” Link grunted in confusion.

“Oh, can’t you tell?” the woman asked. “If I were to bet any money I’d almost say that handsome prince was in love with you.”

“Sidon!?” Link jumped, almost scoffing as he stared at the woman in disbelief. Her dark red eyes sparkled when she looked up to meet Link’s gaze and she laughed, her wrinkles becoming more prominent with her smile. 

The woman didn’t respond necessarily but she merely laughed again and helped Link pick out what food he pointed at and he paid her before stepping away from the stand. Before he could, however, the woman grabbed his hand, leaning forward and she snickered, “Go get him, boy.”

Link felt his ears heating up as he waited for Sidon to return and the Zora definitely looked nervous when he finally bid goodbye to Naboo and returned to him. 

“Everything okay?” Link asked, and Sidon visibly jumped out of his skin.

“What?” He yelped. “Oh! Yes, yes, yes, I’m fine. Naboo was just asking about...something…”

“What?”

“Ah ah ah,” Sidon snickered, looking a little too pleased with himself (he probably came up with an idea off the top of his head and was overly pleased with himself considering how rarely that worked), “You withheld information from me earlier this morning, then I don’t have to tell you what Naboo said.”

“Sidon,” Link glared at the Zora fiercely, “I barely remember this morning."

“I do hope your joking,” Sidon retorted dryly and looking a little irritated by the statement. Link could only hang his head in defeat, knowing full well that Sidon saw through his lie and was just stubborn enough to withhold this information. Instead, Link carried the basket of ingredients in his arm, keeping pace with Sidon’s surprisingly long stride length as they walked back in silence. 

Link tried grazing Sidon’s hand, hyper aware of the way his fingers flinched against the Hyilan’s touch. Trying to tap into that courage he was supposedly famed for, Link held his breath and took hold of Sidon’s hand, gauging his reaction. He felt the Zora flinch again at his touch, but he didn’t draw away.

Slowly, Link laced his fingers in Sidon’s, his cheeks burning as he forced himself to look straight ahead and try hard to keep from looking up to check if the Zora was staring at him. But when Sidon’s fingers clasped gently around Link’s, holding his hand firmly, Link felt himself smiling. 

If he were any more daring he would have leaned against Sidon’s arm, or placed a kiss on his hand or just  _ something _ . But sadly he was not and instead he just reveled in the silence that they walked in, allowing himself to believe that there truly was hope after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well at least Link is TRYIN.


	21. Sidon's Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link serenades Sidon with a concert. 
> 
> Feelings are shared. 
> 
> Hearts are poured out. 
> 
> Sidon can't help but feel...the most wonderful sense of joy in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So first of all, this chapter is very much inspired by an adorable and beautiful comic by sleepy-moans on tumblr and I HIGHLY suggest you check it out! I've been wanting to write this since I first saw it, tbh.
> 
> Also, the songs mentioned in here:  
> the first one is Pippin's Song (I don't remember the actual title I don't have my book with me) in Lord of the Rings. The second is Blunt the Knives from the Hobbit (if you aren't familiar with either you can look them both up on Youtube!)
> 
> And of course, the tune Link plays for Sidon will be his theme that you hear in game. I have a strong headcanon that all the music you hear in the game are songs that Link composed himself when thinking of his travels. Gaaaah I love these nerds so much. 
> 
> Enjoy!

If Naboo had randomly popped up from behind Sidon after Link took his hand just to say that the Hero of Hyrule was going to somehow surprise him even more than he already had that day, the Zora prince wouldn’t have believed her. 

But then, in the midst of their peacefully quiet night, enjoying the gentle intimacy of Link’s home, the Hylian stood up after dinner and sat down by his piano. 

Oh, and the music that filled Sidon’s ears...it was too beautiful, too pure. He found himself following the sound and then sitting down on the floor, staring up at awe in Link as his fingers danced along the keys, his lips upturned in one of the most peaceful smiles the Zora had ever seen on a person. 

It was...well, it was simply magical. 

When Link’s fingers pressed down on the keys of the last note, his foot pressing on the pedal as the Hylian remained hunched over the instrument for but a second before sitting back up straight, Sidon couldn’t help himself but erupt into astounded applause. 

“That was remarkable, Link!” Sidon cheered, not realizing his tail was wagging so much until he accidentally blew pages off the music stand. “Oh! So sorry!”

Link merely snickered as he bent down to pick up the pieces, shaking his head in amusement. “It’s alright!” he signed, grinning. 

“So...if I may be so bold as to ask,” Sidon started, noting the hand scribbled notes on the paper that Link was putting neatly back on the stand. “Was that one of your original pieces?”

“Oh, no,” Link shook his head. “Of the ones I’ve composed I’ve only just recently begun to add the piano part into one.”

Sidon couldn’t help but tilt his head to the side, confused. Link noted the expression and gave a smile, elaborating, “I don’t know if this is the right or wrong way to go about it since I’m mostly self-taught but, normally when I compose or put together arrangements I start with the woodwinds since that is what I learned first. Plus I always take my ocarina with me when I travel so I can play out the melody that I’m feeling when I have time alone, then I write down the notes to remember it and when I get home I’ll flesh it out from there.” 

“That’s absolutely incredible, Link,” Sidon balked. “Tell me, where did you learn to play so well? Are you self taught there as well?”

“My mother was a music teacher,” Link smiled to himself. “She taught me the flute and the piano. And then she helped me carve my first ocarina. I picked up stringed instruments too but...that more came from watching her and listening in on her lessons. The piece I just played...was actually one of her arrangements.”

“It’s beautiful,” Sidon said gently. “You must’ve had a wonderful mother.”

The way Link turned his head downwards and his brow knit together, Sidon felt his heart drop suddenly, regretting having said anything but wondering what was so wrong by his remark.

He looked...so sad…

“Link…?”

“I did,” Link finally muttered, his voice barely audible. With a deep inhale, he rose to his feet and stepped away from the piano to clear the table of their dishes. Sidon followed closely behind, growing more and more worried by the second.

“Link, if I said something wrong, I’m terribly sorry,” Sidon pleaded, taking hold of the Hylian’s hand. “Truly.”

“You didn’t,” Link shook his head, trying to pull his hand away. He managed a smile. One even sadder than what he had given that morning upon coming out to the Zora. 

Sidon couldn’t accept his friend’s lie.  

“Link,” Sidon squeezed Link’s hand tighter. “Please tell me what has upset you. I do not like seeing you so sad."

Link looked up at Sidon in surprise for a moment before his eyes traveled down cast and he gave a small shrug, his ears drooping. Sidon released Link’s hand so he could sign, “I don’t have many memories of her anymore.”

Sidon felt his heart just kick down the door leading out of his chest and saunter away. Of course. How could he have been so thoughtless? “Link, I didn’t mean to--” 

Link held his hand up, cutting him off before he continued, “It’s not that it’s just...the memories I  _ do _ have of my mother, she’s crying. Crying as she’s trying to get me to answer her question, crying to my father because I can’t speak to her, crying when I thought for once in my life my parents would be proud of me when I drew the master sword but only wound up making her fear for my life…”

Sidon suddenly felt very overwhelmed by a sense of grief for his friend. He couldn’t help himself, but nevertheless Sidon reached forward and brushed the hair behind Link’s ear, not thinking he was going to keep it there until Link leaned his face against it. 

Daring to cup the Hylian’s cheek a little more firmly, Sidon sighed, “Link, I don’t know much about your past other than our fleeting childhood memories shared together, so I cannot say with certainty what happened between you and your parents. But I do know this: whether their actions were right or wrong, or whether the remainder of your locked up memories are filled with laughter or grief, the person you are today is a man with such a strong capacity for love. I can only imagine that capacity had to come from somewhere, and I sincerely hope that a large part of that does indeed come from your mother.”

Link looked up at Sidon with watery blue eyes and it took a great deal of willpower to keep from pulling the Hylian into a tight hug and never let go. Instead, he said, “I know the sadness of thinking about your mother’s tears can be unbearable at times. Just thinking about how intense the grief my own mother was in during her last days in this world...I-I can’t, really. But...if there is any comfort that I take in those memories it’s the comfort in knowing that my mother was a woman who loved her family so dearly, and that even something so painful as her broken heart was a testament to how wonderful and loving of a person that she was, and how that even still guides me to be the man I am today.”

Link chuckled, rubbing one eye with the palm of his hand and turning the other towards Sidon, who instinctively used his thumb to gently wipe any escaping tears away. Looking back up at him, the Hylian asked, “How did I get so lucky to find such a wise and caring friend?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Sidon grinned, his smile only broadening when Link started laughing. “Now that’s the smile I was waiting for! Also! Since you went to so much trouble to cook dinner despite your lingering hangover, why don’t I clear the dishes and you can continue to serenade me with such wonderful music?”

“It’s a deal,” Link smiled. He played a few more pieces on the piano while Sidon washed and put away the dishes and any leftovers. He wanted to hear some of the original pieces that Link kept mentioning, but the Hylian was insistent that he needed Sidon’s full attention for that. As Sidon was towel drying the last few plates, however, he did overhear Link shuffling objects around looking for something, and then heard the sound of a very familiar tune on the ocarina. 

Sidon chuckled, unable to hide his smile and unable to control himself as he broke out into song alongside Link and his instrument:

 

_ Home is behind the world ahead _

_ And there are many paths to tread _

_ Through shadow to the edge of night _

_ Until the stars are all alight _

 

_ Mist and shadow _

_ Cloud and shade _

_ All shall fade _

_ All shall fade _

 

Sidon found himself lost in the small tune as he finished drying and put away the plate, his voice trailing off after the last line when it suddenly occurred to him that Link wasn’t playing the melody anymore. Turning his head hesitantly, Sidon discovered the Hylian leaning against the piano, resting his head in his hand with an adorable smile on his face as he sighed in content.

“What?” Sidon snickered, feeling his cheeks heat up.

“You have a beautiful voice,” Link offered, his smile broadening. Sidon jumped a little and turned back to the soapy water still in the sink, unplugging the stopper to drain it. 

“Oh--well, as good as one would have with no vocal training,” Sidon shrugged, avoiding all eye contact. “Now  _ Mipha _ , on the other hand. She had the most beautiful voice that I had ever heard. And my mother? Exquisite!” 

“Oh I know,” Link said out loud. Sidon felt bad that he was still turned away because he could just hear the strain on his friend’s vocal chords as he said, “But I’m serious. Your tone is amazing.” 

“Why thank you,” Sidon smiled, forcing himself to face Link so the man didn’t have to force himself to speak. Noting the smug grin on the Hylian’s features, however, Sidon gave a teasing smile and noted, “You know...you kept insisting that I had the voice of an angel last night…”

“I!” Link grunted, and Sidon laughed as he watched his friend turn crimson all the way to the tips of his ears. Clearing his throat, Link lifted his hands and admitted bashfully, “I was...really impressed when I heard you singing in the shower, okay?” 

“Well, I’m flattered,” Sidon managed to say whilst trying to fend off his own embarrassment. Link shifted his weight for a moment, looking around when suddenly a spark ignited in the back of his eyes.

“You know this one,” he grinned before running to the silverware drawer to retrieve a few knives. Returning to the table, before he started pounding his fist against it and scraping the knives together in a rather rhythmic pattern. “Guess the song.”

“Well to guess the song I might need lyrics,” Sidon chuckled. Link gave him a smug look when it suddenly dawned on the Zora: “Are you just trying to get me to sing some more?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Goodness,” Sidon covered his face with his hands.

“Come oooon!” Link egged him on out loud. “You  _ know _ this one!”

“I’m sure I do, but how am I supposed to tell what it is when you just risk the chance of blunting your knives-- _ oh _ ,” Sidon cut himself off with his own laughter. “Okay, okay I get it now.”

“Then sing it!”

“Link, I--”

“I don’t hear any melody coming from you,” Link teased, escalating the volume of his pounding and knife-scraping.  

“Fine,” Sidon laughed, grabbing some silverware of his own before joining Link at the table to just completely and utterly destroy his house for the sake of a few show tunes apparently. 

 

_ Blunt the knives, bend the forks, _

_ Smash the bottles and burn the corks _

_ Chip the glasses and crack the plates _

_ That's what Bilbo Baggins hates! _

 

_ Cut the cloth, trail the fat, _

_ Leave the bones on the bedroom matt _

_ Pour the milk on the pantry floor _

_ Splash the wine on every door _

 

Had someone walked into Link’s home and seen their antics without having seen them the night before, Sidon was certain that they would have thought the two were drunk out of their minds as they danced around his house playfully, eventually Link even singing the song along with him as they escalated in excitement and volume. 

 

_ Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl _

_ Pound them up with a thumping pole _

_ And when you've finished if they are whole _

_ Send them down the hall to roll! _

 

_ That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!! _

 

Somehow in their attempt to keep a tempo to the song they had given up on destroying Link’s utensils and managed to get themselves into a wrestling match and by the time they were screaming the last line of the song, Sidon had pulled Link into his arms and was spinning him around like a maniac, the both of them laughing. 

Sidon was holding Link up by the waist, the Hylian’s chest meeting Sidon’s eyes and without even thinking the Zora had nuzzled his face against it. Link flinched when he did so, yelling at Sidon that the motion had tickled but continued to giggle as he hugged the top of Sidon’s head, pressing his face against the top of it. The only thing that kept Sidon from holding him like that for longer was his own curiosity for the music that Link still had yet to share. 

So, he set Link down on the piano bench and then plopped down on the floor, crossing his legs and smiling brightly up at Link with his tail wagging. 

“I’m ready to hear your special concert,” he grinned. 

Link somehow was able to smile even wider than he already was before he took his ocarina back in hand and explained, “Most of these aren’t finished just yet.”

“Oh yes, I know,” Sidon’s tail was still wagging. “But as I recall, sharing these with me was one of the reasons you invited me here.”

“Well,” Link blushed as he looked away. “That and...really I just wanted to spend time with you…” 

He didn’t know what courageous streak he was on, but for whatever reason Sidon had no problem scooting forward and resting his chin on the piano bench  _ right next to  _ Link’s thigh as he smiled with his continuously wagging tail. “Oh do go on, please.”

“Oh Goddess Above,” Link chortled, teasingly trying to push Sidon’s face away but the Zora only continued to scoot forward until he was practically in Link’s lap. “You’re such a dork!” 

“Mmm, so I’ve been told,” Sidon mused. “But please, tell me how much you’ve wanted to spend time with me, I’m curious.”

Link’s face has surpassed red and was now purple at this point. Instead of answering him, Link cleared his throat several times and deepened his voice a little, saying, “Have I mentioned how incredible you are!? And how thankful I am!?”

Sidon’s face blanked slightly, unable to place why Link’s words were so familiar but feeling rather certain that he was being mocked. 

“Yes, you are the greatest of Hylians and my most treasured friend for all time!” Link shouted and Sidon turned his head downward feeling very certain that, yes, he was being mocked. Link was snickering and when Sidon looked up to glare at him, the Hylian was signing, “Or at least I’m pretty sure that’s what you said  _ every single time _ I visited the Domain for at least six months.”

“Well I _was_! And you _are_! And I still _am!_ ” Sidon whined. “Also, we are not in the Domain we are in Hateno! So why don’t you tell me why you truly brought me here, huh?” 

“I told you!” Link signed with a teasing scoff. “I wanted to see you!”

“Uh huh,” Sidon grinned, resting his head in his hand with his elbow propped up on the piano bench. 

“And...I missed you…” Link signed, looking away. “And...I...wanted to tell you that I…”

Sidon’s tail stopped wagging for a moment and his heart immediately started pounding when Link trailed off.

“You...what?” 

Link’s eyes were wide as they darted around to every corner of the house except where Sidon was sitting before he finally signed, “......I think that you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me…”

At that, Sidon’s heart stilled in his chest. 

His voice was very soft when he spoke next, “You do…?”

“Yeah,” Link shrugged, looking away. “I mean...even as a kid you were always so upbeat and you were there for me and fun to play with. But...since waking up...you were the first person that I met who I felt  _ truly _ believed in me even though I had no memory of you, no clue where my sword was or what it was or how to find it. You never once doubted me and you were just...I don’t know where I would be without you, Sidon.”

Link was smiling so beautifully, so genuinely as he finished his heartfelt statement and Sidon felt a very warm fuzzy feeling overtaking him. But even then, Link wasn’t finished: “I don’t think I could’ve defeated Ganon if it hadn’t been for you.”

“Oh,” Sidon chuckled, covering his face. “Link, don’t be a tease, I’m certain there would have been someone to help you tame the Divine Beast regardless--”

“No, I mean,” Link looked away as he signed, his cheeks flushed and his smile small but still there, “It was so much more than that, Sidon. Even after that, I always felt your support. Your words of encouragement, what you thought of me...whenever I faced a challenge on my journey I thought of you, and how you would go about the situation. I thought about how much you believed in me. Hell, I still do…”

“Link…” Sidon found himself rising up and sitting down on the bench next to Link, if for little more reason than to just be close to the Hylian, their shoulders touching. 

“So when I say that I don’t think I could’ve defeated Ganon without you,” Link looked directly into the Zora’s eyes. “I really, truly mean it. I...I don’t know what I would do without you in general, Sidon. You’re that important to me.”

Sidon found himself staring down at the piano in front of him, his hands folded neatly in his lap and seriously tempted to take hold of Link’s. His breathing shallow, he dared to do so and he just loved the way Link’s fingers so neatly intertwined in his. 

“Well,” Sidon held onto Link’s hand tightly as the Hylian rested his head against his arm. “I could very easily say the same about you. And not just as the Hero, Link. I…”

Sidon had to stop himself. 

He almost told Link that he loved him. 

And yet...for some reason he couldn’t. 

Not yet. 

“Your kindness, and your friendship…” Sidon started. “And the way that your ears twitch - oh dear, I think I said that last night even - it’s all so endearing to me. Even just thinking about you makes the dark days brighter and the bright days warmer than the sun. I wouldn’t be a father had it not been for your support and encouragement, and I wouldn’t be the man that I am without your influence. Life without you...well, it wouldn’t just be dull but it would be unbearable for me.”

“I thought to myself once…” Link spoke out loud. “When the Yiga attacked and I thought you were going to surrender yourself...I thought to myself once that I couldn’t survive in a world without you.”

Sidon was absolutely breathless. 

“I hope that neither of us will have to live on without the other,” Sidon mused, squeezing Link’s hand tightly. They sat there like that. For how long? Sidon did not know, but he didn’t want to let go. Eventually, Link sat up, and Sidon thought that was his cue to let go of the man’s hand, but instead, Link took Sidon’s hand up to the keys. 

“I want to play my finished piece for you,” he said softly. Sidon nodded in slight confusion as Link set his hand down on the keys, positioning his fingers and his wrist before elaborating, “I want you to help me.”

“Oh, but Link I never learned piano--”

“It’s very simple,” Link grinned up at Sidon. “After me…”

Link played four notes on the piano, showing Sidon the tempo and having him practice before introducing the next four notes. Sidon picked up on the pattern that Link was showing him rather quickly, and went through several repetitions before he got a nod in approval and instructions from Link to keep the tempo and keep playing. Link then lifted the ocarina to his lips, took a breath, and he played. 

And oh, was the melody oh so sweet. 

It was one of those songs that he could get lost in, listen to on repeat for ages and ages, but alas, Link’s piece came to a close and he motioned for Sidon to stop whilst he hit the last few notes. When he lifted his lips from the ocarina and set it down, he asked, “What do you think?” 

“That was marvelous!” Sidon praised, smiling. “It was such...a light and beautiful tune, Link! You wrote that?” 

Link nodded his head bashfully.

“Outstanding,” Sidon grinned. “I love it!”

“What did it make you feel?” Link asked, catching Sidon off guard a little. 

“Feel?” Sidon repeated and Link nodded his head. The zora had to think on that for a moment before he finally mused, “Let’s see...it’s such a sweet melody, like one I could easily dance to or listen to on a rainy day to cheer myself up. Why, it just brings a smile to my face even thinking about it, really.”

As Sidon spoke, he kept careful attention to how Link smiled brightly at his explanation, nodding his head excitedly, “Yes! Oh good, that is what I was trying to go for.”

“I dare say you succeeded,” Sidon noted. “It brought me such joy listening to it.”

Link pursed his lips together, still smiling as he ran his hands against his pants before he was able to ask, “Do you know what it’s called?”

“No,” Sidon shook his head, curiously. “What?” 

Link took another breath.  

“Prince Sidon.”

Sidon couldn’t quite describe the emotions that coursed through him in the moments it took Link to explain, “I like to write music about my travels. What I feel, what I experience...it’s how I get through the tougher times and enjoy the good ones. But...that song was the first one I wrote down because...well...I never wanted to forget the way I felt when I first met you. Or...I guess what I felt when I met you  _ again _ but...it’s like I said, you’re so important to me and I feel just  _ so happy _ when you’re around and I couldn’t even describe it if I wrote it down. So I put it to a melody.”

Sidon was having a hard time keeping his composure as Link signed to him, unable to take his eyes off the Hylian. He had to be careful to watch his breathing, otherwise Sidon was afraid he might start crying. 

“...Sidon?” Link asked with a small voice.

“I’m…” Sidon swallowed a lump in his throat. “I’m so honored to know that I make you feel that way...thank you for sharing that with me.” 

Link’s eyes were soft and warm as they looked into Sidon’s. And then, then the Hylian did something absolutely wonderful.  

With the most gentle touch, Link wrapped his arms carefully around the Zora’s neck, pulling him close. He stooped his head down, nuzzling against the junction between Sidon’s neck and shoulder, causing Sidon to start purring, his instincts sparking to life as he pulled Link’s body as close to him as physically possible. 

His purrs only escalated in volume when he felt Link’s fingers digging into his scales, humming an indiscrete tune. Sidon completely allowed his instincts to carry him as he lifted Link up, carried him up the stairs and set him gently down on his bed. Sidon felt himself burying his own face against Link’s neck and shoulder, traveling down his chest and taking in the man’s scent before he finally lifted his head and stared into those beautiful blue eyes.  

Sidon felt his lips part in time with Link’s, lowering himself for but a moment before he stopped, finally releasing a breath and cutting off the low rumbling of his throat and chest.

“Um…” Sidon grunted, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Link, I…” 

Link hushed him, running a finger up his snout and tracing along his crest before falling again and cupping his cheek. Sidon responded in kind by brushing the hair out of his face, running his claws along Link’s scalp. The Hylian smiled and said gently, “Maybe...this is a conversation for another time.”

“Perhaps,” Sidon said softly, managing a smile. “It is getting late, after all…” 

Link chuckled at that, “I can play you more music in the morning if you would like.”

“That sounds amazing,” Sidon declared, lowering himself to the bed and scooching up as close to Link as he could to keep from falling off the bed whilst trying to keep from just laying on top of the man completely. He rested on his stomach, propping a pillow up in his arms to rest his head against, watching carefully as Link too adjusted to a sleeping position on his side, facing the Zora. 

They watched each other in content, peaceful, silence that night until they gently lulled each other to sleep to the sounds of their quiet breathing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you thought they were gonna kiss by the end of this didn't you? ;) 
> 
> (I don't know how Link would fit a piano in his house either...probs under the stairs somehow?)
> 
> ((I may or may not have been listening to all of Peter Hollens' covers on youtube when I work on this fic and started headcanoning Sidon's voice as sounding something similar to him...or at least somewhere in that vocal range. LEAVE ME BE I CAN'T HELP THAT I AM GARBAGE))


	22. The Reason For Being Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When two hearts are so close together...and yet so far apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I feel like you guys might hate me for this chapter. 
> 
> I did emphasize that this was an EPIC pining adventure in the title

_ A harsh light blinded Sidon for but a moment as his eyes tried to adjust. His ears buzzed with the sound of cascading waterfalls filling his senses, but when he looked around, there was nothing. Nothing but a white blanket before him.  _

_ The sound of a raindrop hitting a pool echoed through his surroundings, causing the Zora Prince to jump a little. The ground below him was white, but blue light rippled underneath him, giving almost a waterlike appearance.  _

_ He had to be dreaming. _

_ Even so, as Sidon waded through the waters, it all felt so real, he didn’t believe his own thoughts for a second.  _

_ “Sidon…” _

_The prince spun around, ears catching the voice. He knew that voice._  

_ “Sidon!” the voice searched again and the Zora nearly broke out into a sprint in search of its owner. He knew that voice! _

_ “Mipha!?” the prince cried out and just as he did he turned and there she was.  _

_ His dear sister stood before him, so much shorter than he remembered her as a child but still as beautiful as ever. His heart nearly fell out of his chest as he bounded towards her, tears leaking out of his eyes and he couldn’t help but smile, “Mipha! You’re alive!” _

_ “How could you, Sidon?” his sister snarled suddenly. Sidon skidded to a halt, staring at her. The Zora Princess looked up to her younger brother, bright flames burning angrily behind her golden eyes.  _

_ “S-Sister…” Sidon choked. “What’s wrong?” _

_ “How could you betray me!?” She snarled again. “What is  _ wrong _ with you!?” _

_ Sidon stood frozen, his smile falling and his tears falling for a reason that made him feel more sick than the elation that Mipha’s words swatted away.  _

_ “I-I didn’t mean to…” Sidon’s voice felt so soft, so vulnerable. “Mipha, I couldn’t help it--” _

_ “You’re disgusting!” She growled, baring her teeth at him. The water beneath Sidon seemed to pull his feet under him. Either that, or the weight of his heart was pulling him down, he couldn’t be sure. “I’m ashamed to call you my brother!”  _

_ The last thing Sidon could remember before being sucked under and suffocated were the sounds of his own screams.  _

 

* * *

 

“Sidon! Sidon! Wake up!” Link shook the Zora until Sidon’s eyes finally snapped open. What had started out as mumbles in his sleep quickly turned into him crying out for his sister, and before he knew it, Link heard Sidon gasping for air. The Hylian had shot up to his knees, trying to wake the Zora, discovering that the fabric of his blanket was catching in Sidon’s gills. Ripping that off, Link only panicked more when Sidon started thrashing and crying out. What probably only lasted seconds felt like ages before he could finally wake his friend. 

“Sidon!” Link called out again and Sidon shot up with a loud gasp and Link fell backwards with a start. 

“Mipha!” Sidon called out, heaving for a few beats before he actually looked around. His breathing slowing, Sidon lowered his head back into his pillow and let out something mixed between a groan and a whimper.  

Hesitantly, Link crawled towards the Zora and placed a hand on his shoulder. “...you okay?”

Sidon jumped under his touch for a moment but eventually lifted his head and adjusted himself so he sat properly on the edge of the bed, still trying to control his breathing. He looked absolutely miserable as he asked Link with heavy eyes, “...Did I wake you?” 

Link tried to manage a smile as he looped his arm around Sidon’s bicep, giving his arm a comforting squeeze. The action seemed to have the opposite effect that Link was hoping for and the Hylian’s heart sunk as he watched more tears pool up in Sidon’s eyes. “Sidon…”

“I’m…” Sidon started, heaving several times. Finally, he managed to choke up, “...a horrible brother.”

“What the hell,” was all Link could say. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to calm Sidon down. 

He didn’t even know how to tell Sidon that there was no way to wake someone who was afraid to go to sleep at night anyway. 

So instead, he just let his friend cry out whatever he needed to as he helplessly clung to him, burying his face into his back.

 

* * *

 

Sidon wasn’t sure what time it was when he announced that he needed some fresh air, nor was he sure how long he spent standing outside, hands braced against the fence post. It was certainly long enough to watch the hustle and bustle of the night life in Hateno’s town square quiet down and eventually go dark as well. 

How could he have been so foolish? 

How could he-- _ why _ would he even think that trying to test Link’s heart like that despite his sister was a good idea!? Sure, it was one thing for Link to have not returned the sentiment, that wasn’t his fault! He has enough on his plate as the Hero anyway, if  _ anyone _ deserved to have control over the course of their life and love who they wanted to, it was Link! 

But Sidon...Sidon hung his head in shame. How could he betray Mipha? How could he even go about living as brashly as this when he didn’t even know what she would say to him if she knew about his feelings for Link?

If she knew was gay…

If his  _ mother _ knew…

A sob caught in the middle of Sidon’s throat and he crouched down, fighting hard to keep it in. How could he be so selfish!?

How could he play with Link’s heart like that either?! The  _ Hero _ deserved better than...than some  _ broken _ brat of a prince! 

When he was too exhausted to cry anymore, Sidon finally mustered up the strength to go back inside, expecting to hear the thundering snores of Link’s sleep. Instead, it was quiet.

Way too quiet. 

Just barely awake enough to be curious, Sidon trudged up the stairs and found the Hylian sitting up straight in his bed, hugging his knees to his chest.

“Please tell me you weren’t waiting up for me,” Sidon sighed tiredly. “I’m sorry. I just...I needed to calm down.”

“S’fine,” Link mumbled, resting his chin on his knees. 

His ears were exceptionally droopy.

“Oh, Link, I’m sorry if I worried you,” Sidon smacked his hand to his face. Again, how could he be so selfish to worry his friend like that? How unbecoming of him. “I’m fine, truly.” 

“No, it’s not--” Link’s voice caught in his throat and he let out a frustrated growl before he smacked his hands on his bed, looked away from Sidon and furiously signed, “I don’t...normally sleep.”

Sidon frowned, confused. 

“Now that makes absolutely no sense,” Sidon said out loud, just tired enough for what little filter he had to disappear. Link had just enough time to shoot the prince a nasty glare before he could explain, “You have no trouble sleeping when you visit the Domain.”

“Yeah well,” Link signed, scowling, “That’s because...I’m with you…”

Sidon found himself sitting down next to Link, feeling really confused now. 

“I dunno,” Link signed with a heavy sigh. “Things just...nothing’s been the same since the Calamity. I mean, I can’t remember anything obviously and I was always an insomniac. I just get restless at night...but not when you’re around…”

“Really,” Sidon noted, suddenly feeling a heavy, heavy weight on his shoulders. “I suppose I probably ruined that for you with my outburst earlier.”

Link responded by leaning his weight against Sidon, and Sidon felt sick to his stomach when he couldn’t keep himself reclining and wrapping his arm around the Hylian’s shoulders. “You didn’t ruin it,” Link said very softly, and Sidon felt a small hand trace up and down his chest. “I’m sorry you had a bad dream.”

“I’m sorry that I woke you, Link,” Sidon mumbled. “I’m sorry for a lot of things.” 

“Hey,” Link lifted his head to give Sidon a firm stare. Sidon looked deep into the Hylian’s eyes, trying to figure out what he was trying to say with such a stern look when he wasn’t offering words or hand gestures to explain himself. Instead, that look melted into a gentle smile and he offered, “That can’t be comfortable.”

“Huh?” Sidon grunted, but then reached back to feel where his tail was pressed up against the wall and chuckled. “After a few moments, no it probably won’t be.”

Link smiled, sitting up and tugging on Sidon’s arm until he was positioned back in his spot on the bed. Once there, Sidon lied down on his back and watched as the Hylian snuggled up close to him, repositioning his head against the Zora’s chest. Link hesitated for a moment, lifting his head back up ever so slightly and asking, “...is this okay?”

There was an indistinct lump forming in the back of Sidon’s throat that he swallowed down hard. He should have said no, but he just...he wanted this too much. 

“Yes,” Sidon heaved a sigh as he rested his arm against Link, pulling him closer. “It’s perfect, actually.” 

With a great deal of unease, Sidon eventually settled himself into a deep sleep until morning. 

 

* * *

 

 

Sleeping on his back had been a horrible idea. 

Sidon grimaced as he tried to stretch out his tail, Link attempting to massage at least some of the kinks out of it.  

“Ow, ow, Link not so much,” Sidon hissed, drawing his head away from the Hylian’s hands. His hands were so strong, yet gentle and normally Sidon probably could have melted under his touch. But good heavens, sleeping on his back had been a mistake no matter how comfortable he was. 

“Sorry,” Link sighed, running his hand gently along his tail. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“It’s quite alright, Link,” Sidon chuckled. “Though the way you are stretching it out right now feels quite nice.”

“Well, here,” Link grunted, and lifted Sidon’s tail a little more. Sidon hissed in response but tried to hold still as Link stretched it more than Sidon could have done so himself. It wasn’t perfect, but it was much better than when he had woken up that morning. The rest of the weekend was relatively uneventful after that. Link continued to serenade Sidon with his beautiful music, they would travel to the market, they went out to eat a time or two before Sidon departed. They got into more play fights than they’d care to admit to anyone else who didn’t witness them flinging bits of food or suds at each other depending on whether they were eating or washing dishes.  

And on multiple occasions, in the quiet of Link’s peaceful home in Hateno, whether it was at the piano, by the pond, or just standing in the field watching the sunset, Sidon found himself rubbing small circles along Link’s strong back. He admired the way his muscles rippled under even the cloth of his shirt. And on a few occasions during those quietly beautiful moments, Sidon found himself resting his chin atop Link’s head. 

And on each night, Sidon rested in Link’s arms wondering what the hell he was getting himself into. 

On three occasions, Sidon nearly professed his love to the man of his dreams. 

“Link?” Sidon would say.

“Yes?” Link asked, his blue eyes glittering. 

“I,” Sidon would start every. Single. Time. He sucked in a breath and every. Single. Time he would try to get the other two simple words out. 

And yet…

He couldn’t. 

“I find...you very endearing,” or “I am most fond of you,” or “You are my most treasured friend” would slip out of his mouth instead. 

And each time, Link would just smile brightly and either make a teasing remark back at him or rest his precious little head against Sidon’s forearm just to set Sidon’s heart flying even more.  

Needless to say, despite the progress it felt like he finally made, Sidon still returned home empty handed and he wouldn’t have minded if the Lynel took his head right then and there. 

Worse yet, Mipha’s enraged voice still plagued his dreams and filled his waking thoughts and he felt like he had been beaten down when he finally trudged up those steps and saw her statue staring him down. He looked up at his sister, frowning. 

How could he do this to her? 

He climbed the last step, so focused on the statue and his own dark thoughts that he hadn’t seen the young Zora sitting by the fountain with another Hylian near and dear to his heart. 

“Daaad!” Nami called out, launching off the ledge she was sitting on and running up to him. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Sidon couldn’t help but smile at the site of the little girl. Stooping down, he scooped Nami into his arms and held her close. 

“Ohoho, hello my sweet!” Sidon chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. She nuzzled her head against his shoulder and Sidon just had to sigh and soak in the moment. How remarkable it was, the way his sweet child could just gaze at him with her big beautiful eyes and let out her signature giggle and just whisk his problems away, if only for a brief moment. 

“How was your trip?” she asked, lifting her head off of his shoulder, her tail wagging. 

“It was good!” Sidon grinned. “And how is Grandpa?”

“Great!” she giggled, grinning wider. “I helped him finish a painting and we read a new book! But he’s in a meeting now so Aunt Zelda and I were hanging out.”

At that, Sidon’s eyes flitted to the woman sitting regally by the fountain. 

“... _ Aunt _ Zelda?” Sidon coughed out loud, then made up for his initial shock to the apparent news by adding, “Is here!? How exciting!” 

Approaching her, Sidon’s brain immediately went into overdrive and somehow he was able to go from lamenting about his unrequited love for Link, to feeling the joy of holding his daughter, to thinking about all of the things he said he would get done with regards to Vah Ruta that he didn’t because he went to Hateno on a whim. 

“Princess!” Sidon greeted nervously as she stood up to meet him. “What a pleasant surprise!” 

“Oh and what a pleasure it’s been spending the last hour with Princess Minami!” Zelda smiled brightly, running her hand along the child’s tail. “Your father asked me to stop by for a few days on business and I couldn’t refuse a chance to say hello!" 

“Wonderful!” Sidon smiled. “Now, Zelda, I must apologize since I have been away for a few days there are still some things I need to get to--”

“Oh nevermind that, Prince Sidon,” Zelda chipperly looped her arm around Sidon’s free arm, leading _him_ up to the palace. Her bright eyes sparkled as she looked up to the Zora and said, “Vah Ruta is as patient a beast as ever. Now what I want to know is how _you_ are doing!”  

“Um,” Sidon blinked several times as he adjusted Nami in his arm. He glanced up at his daughter who was looking expectantly at him with an expression that Sidon unfortunately knew too well. Gulping at an unfortunately loud volume. “I’m...fine. Just returning from a trip to Hateno.”

“So I’ve heard!” Zelda’s eyes twinkled even more. “You spent a few days with Link, is that so?”

Sidon’s smile was starting to fall.

“Yes…” he responded. 

“Soooo,” there was a skip in Zelda’s step as they entered the palace. “How is Link?”

“Not too much different from when you saw him early last week,” Sidon shrugged. What...exactly was Zelda getting at?

“Oh yes, yes,” Zelda waved him off. “I know about all of that but how are _you_!?”  

“I...believe you already asked me that question?” Sidon asked a little confused as Nami’s giggles merely escalated. They made their way to the throne room just as the meeting with King Dorephan and his advisors concluded. Dorephan ducked under the doorway as his eyes traveled up to meet the two Zora and the Hylian princess entering. 

“Sidon, my boy!” he greeted, “You’ve returned!” 

“So I have, Father,” Sidon nodded, setting Nami down as she wriggled in his arms. He smiled to himself as he watched the little girl bound towards his father’s outstretched arms.  

“Oh, Sweet Minami,” Dorephan chuckled as he lifted her up with the palm of his hand. “Did you and Princess Zelda have a good time waiting for your father?”

“I sure did!” she grinned with a delighted tail wag. 

“Excellent,” Dorephan smiled brightly. “And Zelda, thank you so much for watching her.”

“It’s my pleasure!” Zelda smiled, and Sidon couldn’t help but notice how three sets of eyes all settled onto him. 

“So, Sidon!” His father grinned, his eyes twinkling in a way that Sidon hadn’t seen since he was trying to convince him that adopting Minami wouldn’t end in catastrophe without...actually saying anything directly. “How is Link?”

“He’s well, Father,” Sidon said after clearing his throat awkwardly. “He says he wishes to visit the Domain again soon.” 

“Oh?” King Dorephan leaned forward as he placed Nami delicately on his shoulder. “And why might that be?”

Sidon was very confused by the way Zelda and Nami  _ both _ snickered in unison. Feeling an odd suspicion that his answer would not be sufficient. “Well, you know he serves as Hyrule’s knight and wants to do his part to ensure we are safe, he enjoys visiting us and of course he likes visiting Nami.”

Dorephan sat back in his throne and Sidon caught sight if Nami’s smile dropping and she crossed her arms. 

“Yes but,” Zelda sidestepped into Sidon, taking his arm again, “I’d imagine Link would want to see you as well!” 

Sidon tried looking at anything but his father, his daughter, and the Hylian Princess that Sidon was still lowkey convinced would be better for Link despite the undeniable fact that the man had been making gay jokes about himself since coming out a few days prior. 

He regretted to admit that the one about a gay Mammalian Zora being a “homosexu-whale” still had him giggling a little. 

“I...imagine he would,” Sidon finally said. “He is a good friend of mine, Princess.”

Zelda gave Sidon a pointed look and was not entirely sure what he did or said to deserve it but bless the Golden Goddesses, Nami broke the silence. She stood up on her grandfather’s shoulder and shouted, “Grandpa sliiiide!” before leaping off his shoulder and sliding down his belly. 

“Goodness, Minami!” Sidon chuckled. “Where did this start?”

“Well, we went on a little excursion to the Reservoir the other day,” Dorephan chuckled. “She had to test a ‘theory’.”

“Grandpa slides are really fun,” Nami announced, her tail wagging. She then very assertively took hold of Sidon’s hand and said, “Daddy, I’m hungry could we have some dinner?”

“Oh! Uh--” Sidon looked up to Zelda and his father who very...eagerly shooed him off. “Alright.” 

He hadn’t even closed the door to their home when Nami yanked on his arm and pulled him to a squatted position so he was eye-level with her. She clapped her hands around his face, squishing his cheeks as she asked intently, “Do I have two dads or not?”

“What!?” Sidon shrieked, drawing his face away. “Nami, what on earth are you talking about?!”

He moved quickly to the kitchen to get something started, very aware that his daughter was now letting out an annoyed growl as she followed him with her hands on her hips as she asked again, “Dad, you know what now do I have two dads or not!?”

“I--” Sidon hung his head. “Minami, Link and I are  _ not _ dating.”

“Why noooot?”

“Because we aren’t!” Sidon snapped, losing his patience. Whether it was with himself or her, he didn’t know...hell, he couldn’t lose his patience with her it was just himself. “I-I’m sorry, Nami...it’s just beene a long day.”

He slammed the pot on his stove and heaved a sigh. Focusing on the ingredients in front of him, he hadn’t realized that Nami walked up to him until he felt her little hand touching his leg. In the smallest voice, she asked, “...but do you love him?”

“Nami…” 

“Dad!” 

Making the mistake of looking down at those sweet, caring, precious eyes, Sidon caved and admitted, “Of course I love him.”

Saying out loud both relieved a weight off of his chest and pressed an even heavier one against him at the same time. He exhaled, flaring his gills out to keep his eyes from watering up all over again. He had cried enough during his travels today, he didn’t need his daughter to see him like this too.  

Nami, in the only way Nami knew how to do, puffed her cheeks out and stamped her foot on the ground as if she was about to have a temper tantrum as fierce as the ones that she had whenever he tried to wake her in the mornings. “Then why aren’t Grandpa and I planning your wedding yet!?”

“Nami!” Sidon spun back around to face her, reach out to her, but she merely backed away and kept on her tirade. 

“No!” She snarled. “You and Link should be running into each other’s arms like Sam and Rosie do at the end of Return of the King and-and Grandpa and I should be planning your wedding already and you should be sweeping my other dad off his feet because you’re his Prince Charming!!” 

Nami’s volume and pitch only escalated in volume and it was a miracle Sidon managed to wrap his arms around her shoulders and hush her, “Nami, Nami, settle down, it’s okay.”

“No it’s not!” she stomped her foot again and Sidon felt hot tears running down her cheek and plopping on his arm when he hugged her. 

“Ohhh, sweetie,” Sidon drew his head back to wipe her eyes. “What has gotten into you? Why are you so upset about this?” 

“Because!” she whimpered, rubbing at her eyes furiously. “I got my happy ever after when you became my daddy so why can’t you have one too?”

“Minami,” Sidon couldn’t help but smile at Nami’s sweet innocence and he pulled her into another hug. As he held her, he realized that he never wanted to let go so he settled for rocking her gently in his lap. “I’m very happy. I have you, I have your grandfather--”

“But you don’t have Link,” Nami mumbled into his shoulder. 

“Of course I have Link,” Sidon chuckled, running his hand across her beautiful tail. “It’s just...not how I might prefer, exactly. But his friendship and his love for you is more important to me than--”

“Dad,” Nami pushed against Sidon’s chest so she could look up at him, her expression fierce. “That’s the  _ problem _ . It’s not how you want it!”

“Nami, it can’t be that way,” Sidon felt a headache beginning to form.

“And why not!?” 

“Because Mipha loved him!” Sidon finally snapped, regretting the small growl that left his throat. Nami flinched a little, staring apprehensively up at Sidon who forced himself to relax almost immediately. He pulled her into one more hug before finally setting her down and guiding her to the love seat in the living room. He sat down in the chair and allowed for her to climb onto his lap before he managed to explain, “A long time ago, my sweet Princess, before the Great Calamity, your Aunt Mipha was very close to Link. They were the best of friends and he was very important to her. So much so that...well, she made a special set of armor for him.”

“Yeah and it was supposed to be his engagement present if they ever got married, I know that stuff because Link was the guy she had all those feelings for,” Nami huffed furiously. Sidon reared his head back in confusion. 

“Y-you do?”

“Yes, Dad,” Nami rolled her eyes a little. “Grandpa tells me that story every chance he gets. He’s told me just about everything about Aunt Mipha and Grandma. But how come that means that  _ you _ can’t be happy and make Link special armor?”

“Minami,” Sidon was trying really hard to not get annoyed by the circles he found himself talking in. “I can’t simply tarnish your aunt’s memory!” 

Nami’s lips puckered into a sour expression and she spat, “Aunt Mipha would want you to be happy, Dad! Isn’t that what you say to me about my parents?!”

Sidon blinked several times as Nami stood up on his lap, braced her little hands on each shoulder and practically stared into his soul.

“You  _ always _ say that it’s okay for me to miss my parents and love my Dad at the same time,” she snarled. “Because at the end of the day they would want me to be happy and safe and have a family even though they aren’t around to give me that! That’s why you’re the best dad ever, to fill their shoes.”

“That’s why I try to be the best father I can be, is what I believe I said,” Sidon retorted.

“That’s why you’re the best Dad ever,” Nami repeated, giving a deadpan glare. “It’s what I said.”

Not even wanting to bother to argue, Sidon relented.

“So...Aunt Mipha would want you to be happy,” she continued. “And she’d want Link to be happy even if it meant she’s not around to love him so that’s why you’re going to be the best husband ever and I’m going to have two dads!”  

Sidon had to rock his head back and stare up at the ceiling, biting his lip and counting to ten to keep from losing his composure. Not because he was impatient with his child. Oh no. 

It just...she was saying all the words he desperately needed (or wanted, he wasn’t so sure) to hear, and yet…

They weren’t coming from the person he needed to hear it from. 

That person wasn’t around to say those words. 

And if he were to follow his child’s logic, considering that she had inherited Mipha’s Grace and clearly had been blessed by her late aunt in some capacity by some miracle, then he knew Nami could easily argue something along the lines of that being the reason why she was present to say the words he most needed to hear. 

Instead, he kind of just wanted to cry and wallow in self pity over the sick feeling this situation gave him. 

“Let’s make dinner, shall we?” Sidon finally asked, touching his forehead to Nami’s. The girl pouted somemore but leaned her head against Sidon’s shoulder with a hug.

“Is it a Link recipe?” she muttered, garnering a chuckle from her father.

“Yes, it’s a Link recipe.”

He set Nami down as she followed him back into the kitchen, asking a million questions about how the weekend went. After omitting several details about his drunken escapades (all the details, actually) and telling her about the wonderful songs Link had written, she asked abruptly, “Dad?”

“Yes, my dear?” 

“Can I go play with Grandpa after dinner?”

“Oh,” Sidon glanced at the clock. “Well, I don’t see why not. Just so long as he isn’t busy and you are home before bedtime.”

“Thanks!”

“Now, I’m curious,” Sidon grinned, “What is it that you want to hang out with Grandpa for?”

“We made a club,” she grinned. 

Grinning to himself as he thought of the Big Bad Bazz Brigade that the older children used to run around in when he was a boy himself, Sidon asked, “What kind of club?”

“A secret one,” she giggled. 

Feeling his smile dropping as he remembered how very not allowed in the Brigade he was because he was “too small” and “could get hurt”, Sidon dared to ask, “And may I be a part of this?”

“Nooo, silly!” Nami’s tail was wagging. “It’s a club only...only kings and princesses can be in it!” 

Instead of arguing and asking for reasons as to  _ why _ that was such a rule, Sidon merely pouted and felt very offended at the fact that he had been declined from not one, but two innocently childish clubs in his lifetime. 

And one was by his own daughter. 

 

* * *

 

Dorephan was in his office later than usual that night, mulling over a gravely dangerous situation. 

He heaved a sigh, meeting the gaze of the Hylian princess across from him. She wore an equally dark look on her expression.

In all his years, not even the Great Calamity could compare to the weight he now felt on his shoulders. 

Okay, perhaps that was an exaggeration. But it was still pretty close.

Zelda clicked her tongue, rising impatiently to her feet. “Where is she?”

“She will come the first moment she has,” Dorephan said in a low voice, waving for the princess to sit back down. “Patience.”

A few minutes after that, the door opened and another Zora walked in, taking her place at the third seat around the table after closing the door behind her. 

Zelda was the first to speak: “How bad is it?”

“Very bad.”

“Exactly what is the situation?” Dorephan asked, leaning back in his chair. The nervousness in the back of the young Zora’s eyes was a spark he had not seen in her before. It certainly had the old king on edge.  

Taking a breath, Princess Minami looked up and announced, “He won’t say anything because he doesn’t want to tarn--tarnation--torn--”

“Tarnish?” Zelda offered.

“Yeah!” Nami pointed at Zelda. “He doesn’t want to tarnish Aunt Mipha’s memory so he won’t talk.” 

“It’s worse than I thought,” Dorephan covered his face with his hands. “How could I have not seen this? And I’m his father!” 

“Don’t beat yourself up just yet, King Dorephan,” Zelda said firmly. “There is still time for us to salvage the situation.” 

“How?” Nami asked curiously. 

“Well, it’s simple really,” Zelda rose to her feet, a crafty smirk upon her lips as she braced her hands against the table. “If Prince Sidon will not be the one to initiate the conversation, then it must be Link.”

“Mmm,” Dorephan hummed thoughtfully, “That is an excellent idea, Princess Zelda but...how can we be so sure that Link will do so?”

“Well, first I’ll need a better idea of what those two talked about during Sidon’s stay,” Zelda explained. “We’ll have to play this very carefully but...Your Majesty, Princess, if I may be so bold as to say this: I think we are going to have to go to war if they are going to win each other’s hearts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You better believe that they have an entire god damn war council just for SidLink shipping.
> 
> Also, no, Mipha's spirit isn't actually mad at Sidon that's just his anxiety brain playing tricks on him. Don't worry. She'd be cool with it. 
> 
> Now if only there was a way for him to get the reassurance from Mipha herself~~~~~ hmmmm


	23. Link Quits Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon receiving a skeptical summons from Princess Zelda, our beloved Hero of Hyrule finally ascends to the ultimate form of Grump

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....so we've got a Link who hasn't slept in three days and gets a nice wad of anxiety thrown at him.
> 
> Surely his reaction to what Zelda has to say can't go too horribly?

Face-down on the floor was Link’s preferred state of being at present.

For the Hero of Hyrule that was supposed to hold the Triforce of Courage, he sure wasn’t showing it considering that his efforts to invite Prince Sidon _all the way to Hateno_ just to spill his feelings were all for naught. For fuck’s sake he got drunk off his ass and slept next to the guy every night and _still_ nothing!

Link let out a long, irritated groan. He wasn’t sure just how long he had been laying on the floor but it was definitely past midnight when he gave up on life and he must’ve at least dozed lightly for a bit because the next thing he knew the sun was rising and there was a knock on the door.

Aggravated that he had been pulled out of his depressive stupor, Link was a little surprised to see the mail runner at the door holding out an envelope towards him.

“Master Hero!” the runner proclaimed, “I’m so sorry to bother you at this early hour but I have a summons from the Princess for you!”

“Oh,” Link grumbled, taking the envelope in hand. Odd, he had just seen Zelda the week before. “Thanks.”

The runner bowed deeply and then was off again, leaving Link to go on autopilot as he packed his things and prepared his house to be left for a few days. He didn’t really read the note inside until he went to his horses, figuring it would just be a small jaunt to Hyrule Castle. Giving Stella an affectionate love pat and feeding Epona a few apples, Link elected to take his most recent addition to the hooved family, Donnie.

Shamefully named after Sidon, Link had settled on getting him to respond to Donnie as a nickname so no one would know. And, just like his namesake, Donnie was a rather large mustang despite his young age and he had a beautiful auburn coat, white socks, and a white muzzle and belly. He still had a ways to go with training but Link figured this would be a good chance to see what Donnie was made up and ride him on the short trip.

Unfortunately, Donnie was already fully adorned in his saddle and gear and being led out of the stables when Link _actually_ read Zelda’s summons.

 

_My Dear Link,_

_I hope this note finds you well. I’m so sorry to pull you away from home once more, but I’m rather in need of your help at Zora’s Domain. I am hoping you could assist me; there is a great negotiation that needs to be made with King Dorephan and you are the only person I can count on to do this._

_I will tell you the rest when you get here._

_Ride swiftly and with a heart of Courage, Link._

_-Princess Zelda_

 

“Son of a Bitch,” Link cursed out loud as he mounted the horse. Well, this certainly was the least desirable distance to be taking Donnie on his first long distance trip but the animal was already saddled up and he didn’t want to waste any more time trying to wake Stella or get Epona into her gear.

But also, how the fuck was he going to explain a name like _Donnie_?

“Oh, you know Sidon, I have a big raging boner for you because apparently I have a type and I’m so hopeless that instead of actually tapping that fine ass I just name a goddamn horse after you! Oh, but I didn’t want you to know so now I just call it Donnie. The usual.”

Link let out another groan, tucking the letter away as he steered Donnie through the slowly waking Hateno. He had to keep tugging on his reins and calming him, the horse was so eager to break out into a full gallop. At least with his youth and his stamina it would be a relatively quick ride to the Domain.

But nevermind that, why the hell did Zelda need him there of all places?

After all, it’s not like Hylian relations with the Zora were _bad_ by any means. If anything, they were great! What ‘negotiations’ could she be talking about?

Link decided to occupy his anxiety-riddled mind with wondering about that and going through the possibilities.

There couldn’t have been any diplomacy issues...even if Zelda said something wrong that might offend the King, Dorephan was more than eager to help coach the girl as she rebuilt Hyrule and, though stubborn, she had been very receptive of his help as of late. Plus she was nothing compared to how much of a hardass her father was as a ruler and Link was pretty sure that there was nothing that King Rhoam could’ve said in his lifetime that would have tested King Dorephan’s patience.

Military Wise? Well, Hyrule’s military was all but decimated and in need of rebuilding, but Link was already at her side helping find new recruits and building a training program for them. There wasn’t much the Zora could do for them there and if there were Link figured Dorephan would be the one asking _Zelda_ if he could assist, not the other way around.

Link hummed, there was...one thing that he could imagine being a problem for her if she didn’t sell it the right way.

Despite the fact that Ganon pretty much destroyed most of Hyrule leaving its people having to rebuild their lives, the population had been booming over the last hundred years and with peace restored and the leadership and the Kingdom on the mend, it had been reaching a peak. Capital City was being rebuilt as fast as architects and carpenters could gather materials - hell, it was going up faster than the repairs to the castle itself - and Link had already assisted in building a small town from the ground up during his travels, but there were still thousands of Hylians without a proper home that was, well, up to the standard of living.

But the land in Hyrule’s territory had few spots that were fertile and weren’t being used as farmland that they could move people to; it was either a still decimated battlefield or was riddled with Guardians that may or may not react and shoot to anything that moved still.

The Zora’s territory, however, though full of high cliff sides, were filled with river systems and areas that would be perfect to relocate a few Hylians. Of course, some elder advisors might see the request as a ballsy power play on Zelda’s end, the request and negotiations were fully intended to be mutually beneficial to both parties. In Zelda’s vision as she had gone over it with Link the week before, she saw it eventually becoming a prosperous, multicultural trading post not too dissimilar to Gerudo Town. The Zora had been rather despondent over the decline in trade with the outside world over the last century, and Link agreed with the Princess when she said that this could be the perfect opportunity to revitalize that. With the settlement in their territory, the Domain would receive all of the profit and their economy would get a great burst, and Hyrule would have a place for their people to go as the kingdom continued to rebuild. It was a rather attractive deal, and while it seemed almost necessary at this point for Hyrule the bargain certainly did weigh more in the favor of the Domain.

At least, that was everything Link had been muddling through in his head that he could say and rephrase for Dorephan (well...Muzu) as he had _assumed_ that that issue was the only plausible negotiation Zelda could be talking about.

...Until he passed a rather nervous looking Hylian trudging up towards the front door of a house, dressed in some of the nicest attire Link had ever seen on anyone in Hateno. Link liked to think that he was above the small-town gossip that his home village always had a knack for possessing, but that had to be a damn lie. He knew he wasn’t considering he knew exactly who that kid was and he knew that that house was the home of his girlfriend, whose father didn’t really approve of their relationship because he hadn’t gone the traditional route and asked him to court her. He must’ve had a proposal or something on his mind with how early in the morning it was, Link could imagine he wanted to ask her father for his blessing and--

Oh _shit._

“Donnie, go,” Link snapped the reins and gave the horse permission to take off in a full gallp.

Ohhhhhhhhhh fuck this was not about the settlement at all.

Ohhhhhhh _fuck_ Zelda told Dorephan about Sidon.

He knew he shouldn’t have told her about Sidon!

She promised she wouldn’t tell Dorephan about Sidon!

 _Fuck_!

How long it took them to reach the winding paths and waterways that Link had become so familiar with over the years, Link did not know he wasn’t keeping track. But he was pretty certain that between Donnie’s excitement and Link’s inner panicking they just about halved the time it would normally take.

For fuck’s sake why was he even _trying_ to get to the Domain!? Fuck it! He should probably just give up on life and spend the rest of his days shitting himself up on the Great Plateau, paraglide into some hopeless guy’s naked escapades, and then teach him how to set fire to everything! Might as well!

_FUCK!_

He barely waved at the Zora standing post who spotted him, not even acknowledging the distressed looks in their eyes when they saw how fast his horse was galloping up the treacherous paths. Hell, he didn’t even register that they had cast the signal that someone was coming into the Domain until Zelda was expectantly waiting for him at the Great Zora Bridge.

“That was very fast!” Zelda proclaimed, “I hope you didn’t wear out your horse--”

“What did you say to King Dorephan!?” Link snarled, leaping off of Donnie before the horse had even come to a stop. The princess recoiled, wearing an aghast expression that tried to communicate that she had no clue what he was talking about.

And it also gave away that she knew exactly what he was talking about.

“...Link, I’m not certain what you mean--”

“What,” Link got in Zelda’s face. “Did. You. SAY!?”

“Oh my you are very vocal today,” she noted with wide eyes. “Did my summons cause you distress?”

“I’M A LITTLE STRESSED, YEAH,” Link roared as he dropped down into a sumo squat really not giving a fuck about the show he was making in public as he spoke to one of Hyrule’s most dignified people as one of Hyrule’s most dignified people.

“Ohhhh, goodness, Link, I’m so sorry,” Zelda muttered, covering her mouth with her hands. She reached out to Link in what was probably comfort and insisted, “But I promise, Dorephan just wants to speak with you--”

“Oh so _he_ wants to speak with _me!?”_ Link was laughing he was so panicked about this mess. “Gee Zelda, that’s not what you said in your summons I _wonder_ what you could be talking about!”

“Link--”

“Just,” Link tried to force himself to calm down. He staggered on his feet a bit but managed to center himself as he placed his hands on Zelda’s shoulders muttering, “Just. Please tell me it’s about the Hylian settlement. It’s got to be about the Hylian settlement. Just please tell me you need me to help persuade Muzu and that’s why Dorephan asked for me. Just please tell me it’s about the settlement…”

Zelda’s eyes were wide and darting in multiple directions as she processed his mumbling. “I’m...very concerned about your sanity right now, Link…”

“Just tell me this negotiation you mentioned is about the settlement and I will be _perfectly_ fine!” Link laughed again through grit teeth.

He felt his eye twitching.

Zelda’s expression melted into a deep, regretful frown as she sighed, “...it’s not about the settlement, Link.”

“GGGH!” Link shouted, throwing his hands in the air. He turned away from Zelda and covered his face as he walked a few steps away from her. He tried so hard to hold in his screams and he failed so epically. “FUCKINNNNG!”

“Link--”

“FUCKING!” Link roared again. He spun around, through his hands down and squatted again as he glared at the princess, “DAMMIT, ZELDA!”

“I...didn’t say the summons was about _that_ , Link…”

“But it is!” Link was nearly in hysterics as he pointed at the princess and he was pretty sure that his eyes were bloodshot from general exhaustion. “You fucking told him didn’t you!”

“Link--”

“Didn’t you!!”

Zelda drummed her fingers against each other as she cringed, “...yes..”

“DAMMIT!” Link kicked at a pebble on the ground with all his strength, missed completely, and then the momentum of his leg carried him off his balance and square onto his ass. “WHAT THE FUCK, ZELDA!?”

“Link, it’s alright!”

“NO IT’S NOT ALRIGHT!” Link screamed as he scrambled back to his feet holding his head in his hands. “Ooooohhhh Sweet Hylia what am I going to say to him. What do I-- _how_ do I even face him now that he knows!”

“Link, you’re speaking of Dorephan as if he’s a cruel father!”

“No, I’m speaking of Dorephan as a guy that lost his daughter because of me. A daughter whom, might I add, made _engagement armor_ for me and now I have to waltz in there with him knowing that I took a hard pass on that ass and am trying to get into his son’s _cloaca_!”

 _"Oh my word!_ " Zelda flung her hands over her eyes in embarrassment, her cheeks and ears turning beat red, “For the love of all that is good, would you tone it down?! That is--that’s just-- _how_ could you say such a thing!? Why do you have to be so vulgar!?”

“BECAUSE I AM A PILE OF ANXIETY, ZELDA!” Link snarled back so loud he wouldn’t be surprised if the Lynel heard him. And honestly, he didn’t care. A lightning bolt could’ve struck him dead right then and there and the universe would be doing him a service for the first time in his life. “What the fuck do I even say to him now!?”

“At this point I’d say you better hope whatever force is making you speak so easily revoke that gift so you filter your thoughts better!” Zelda snarled, smacking her hand to her face.

“This is a serious question, Zelda!”

“And that was a serious answer!”

“Oh pffft,” Link blew her off, “ _Sure_ . It’s all fine and dandy for me to just be _mute_ all the goddamn time! Still doesn’t change the fact that I have to look King Dorephan _in the face_ and come up with a bullshit reason as to _why_ I couldn’t have just _accepted_ Mipha’s hand in marriage and, oh, I dunno, _saved her life_ from the Waterblight like I was supposed to! I might as well have killed your daughter because I was so incompetent and oblivious to her feelings and couldn’t even reciprocate! But your son is like... _really really gay_ ! Probably the only gay Zora in all of the Domain! I’m _really_ doing you a favor at this point!”

“Link, you are absolutely manic!”

“Oh I’m just getting started!” Link backed away from Zelda’s advance, feeling dizzy but not wanting to relent because he had so much more anger to burn. “Because! You know, it’d be so easy to go up to King Dorephan and be like, yeah! You know! You _know what they say_ , King Dorephan? About fucked up situations like this? I would hope you’d know it because you’re the king and it’s an _ooooold_ Zora saying!”

“Link, stop it--”

“Because you know what saying I heard?! An ancient foretelling is what it is! Because you know they always say that a living ass is better than a dead puss!”

“LINK!” Zelda roared, furious.

“WHAT YOU HAVEN’T HEARD IT BEFORE!?” Link roared back. “Seriously, what the _fuck_ do I say to Dorephan!?”

“ _Anything but that!”_ Zelda was covering her face with her hands again. She then spun Link around by the shoulders and pushed against his back, trying to push him towards his horse. “You know what, that’s it. I shouldn’t have asked you to come. You’re going back home right now.”

“Ohhhh but I’m already here,” Link dug his heels into the ground and leaned back against her to keep her from budging him further. “Might as well face the music and meet my most humiliating end. It’ll probably be the most embarrassing of ends out of all the heroes to date.”

“Link I cannot believe I am saying this but you need to _shut your mouth_.”

“Awww, but you wanted so _baaaad_ for me to say something to you because you didn’t want to take the time to learn _sign language_!”

“That was a hundred years ago, you dolt! And I am _not_ having your shitty attitude ruin our longest diplomatic relationship!”

By the time either Hylian realized that their shouting had attracted an audience, the Hero and Princess of Hyrule were slapping each other and fighting like children. Thankfully, it was really only Sidon that came down the stairs and heard the tail end of what was going on.

“For heaven’s sake what is happening here!” Sidon shouted, catching their attention.

“Prince Sidon!” Zelda spun around so quickly that Link dropped to the ground. “So sorry to be causing a scene! Uh...how much of that did you hear?”

“Something about Link not keeping his mouth shut,” Sidon blinked several times looking confused. “Is...everything alright?”

“Of _course_ it was Sidon that found us,” Link launched back up to his feet, shaking. “Of fucking course this is what my life has come to!”

“Uhh,” Sidon’s eyes shifted from side to side as if he were trying to decide how to respond to Link’s crazed mutterings. When his gaze finally settled on Link himself, however, his befuddled expression turned into alarm, “Link you look as if you haven’t slept in three days!”

“Well cool because I haven’t!” Link snarled, teetering to the side.

“Why haven’t you--” Sidon started, and Link watched as his lips pursed and he bobbed his head and muttered to himself, counting back the days since they had been in Hateno together. “Ah. Well, Father said he had sent for you but you aren’t going anywhere until you get a nap in.”

“Yeah,” Link crossed his arms, certain he was probably just having a fever dream at this point. “Because that’ll happen.”

“Uh-huh…” Sidon nodded slowly. He exchanged an unreadable look with Zelda before he took a few strides forward, scooped down, and threw Link over his shoulder. “Alright, you’re coming with me.”

“Wh-hey!”

“Because I didn’t know you were coming until but an hour ago I unfortunately don’t have the sea bed for you, but you can still rest on my couch just fine,” Sidon droned, literally carrying Link across the Domain slung over his shoulder for all to see.

“Sidon, put me down!”

“I’m certain Zelda can see to stabling your horse while I deal with you.”

“Sidon!”

“I’ll tell Father that you will see him after dinner.”

“I can deal with it now! Just send me to my grave already!”

Link had been so busy fighting a losing battle that he hadn’t noticed when they stepped into Sidon’s apartment until the Zora set him firmly down on his feet. With a stern look, he finished, “In the meantime you need to _rest_.”

Glaring up at the Zora, Link folded his arms and plopped down on the couch, swiping the blanket that was offered to him, laying down, and using the minimal space he had to roll into a blanket burrito with barely his face and the top of his hands showing through.

He was still glaring at Sidon during this arduous process. Not because he was mad at the Zora. No, he kind of just wanted to nuke the entire universe and give up on life because he was so full of pent up rage that seemingly came out of nowhere.

“Oh my goodness,” Sidon observed. “Link...now, I need to leave for a few hours; I promised Laflat that I would teach a class for the children at school today, but I will be back.”

“Oh Goddess Above,” Link started muttering. He must’ve been losing it because he felt as if his body had dissolved from a solid to a highly viscous liquid as he started melting off the couch and onto the floor. Still tucked neatly in his blanket burrito. “He’s great with kids. Of course he’s great with kids. And I’m here. And everything is going to shambles. And of course he’s great with kids.”

“I’m a father Link, I should hope I know my way around children,” Sidon noted, catching Link’s cocooned form as it slid onto the floor and setting it back onto the couch. “A-are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m greeeeat!”

“Please sleep,” Sidon begged, rising back to his feet. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Yoooou just take your time, buddy ol’ pal!” Link snarled, starting to see colors that he didn’t know existed. Goddesses, he was so tired.

“You know, I’m going to have Bazz check on you in a little while,” Sidon nodded. “Rest now.”

“Goodnight!”

“Oh dear.”

As Sidon opened and closed the door behind him, Link was left shivering in his cuccoon of a blanket. However, with the Zora prince’s delicious scent permeating from the fabric and wafting into his nose, it didn’t take Link’s eyes long to grow heavy as he finally fell into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention that he hasn't eaten in this time span either? 
> 
> I dunno man, a full Arin Hanson style rage quit just seemed really fitting for this. XD


	24. Dorephan's Blessing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Dorephan, Nami, and Princess Zelda had a plan for how they would try to finally get Link and Sidon together.
> 
> They...maybe should have taken Link's stress levels and Sidon's anxiety into consideration a little more first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter started off with a funny and then the Burning Bush song on the Prince of Egypt Soundtrack came on so it became an angst and then a...just...it ended with me having to take a step away and get tissues so. 
> 
> Woops. 
> 
> Just prepare yourselves folks. If panic attacks or dealing with grief or anything bothers you...well, that's in here.
> 
> But the first part is funny!!

_ Link stood in the middle of the throne room in front of the wise king of the Zora. Dorephan looked sternly down at him, a low grumble escaping his throat. The proud Hero wriggled slightly, pulling his blanket further up his face.  _

_ He was still wrapped up snuggly in his blanket. Instead of walking into the palace with dignity like he should have, he just remained wrapped up in a burrito and hopped his way to the King. _

_ And judging by the weird draft he was feeling, Link was pretty certain that somewhere down the line his clothes vanished in thin air as well. _

_ “Link,” Dorephan rumbled, staring skeptically down at the Hylian. _

_ “King Dorephan,” Link nodded in return, except his head was so tightly bound in the cocoon that he had to bend his whole body forward for the gesture to register. _

_ “Why are you in a blanket?” Dorephan asked simply. _

_ “It’s all that is left of my dignity sir,” Link responded, impressed that he was speaking so eloquently. “And I am so hungry yet I cannot eat that ass which I seek so I am imagining myself as a delectable burrito." _

_ Resting his chin on his hand as if the nonsense Link had just spewed was a perfectly normal thing to say, the king responded, “And the ass which you seek...is my son’s?” _

_ “And his fish sticks,” Link bowed again. “Sir.” _

_ King Dorephan glared fiercely down at the Hylian. With a contemplative hum he finally droned, “Absolutely not.” _

_ Link stared up at Dorephan with wide eyes. He should have expected this answer, but to hear it outright. It...it was...words couldn’t quite give the burning in his chest justice. It felt as if acid had been poured straight into his arteries just to melt him from the inside out.  _

_ “And do you know why not, Link?” Dorephan asked darkly. “Because I was so ready to give my own daughter to you and look what you did! You might as well have killed her! And now you come in here, shamelessly flaunting around your foul attraction to men asking for my son’s…” _

_ “Fish sticks,” Link nodded.  _

_ ….why was he speaking so easily and why was he being so crass? That’s not--that’s nowhere near what he felt!  _

_ Okay, yes, he did find Sidon to be the most beautifully carved work of art ever placed on this earth by the Goddesses. But he was more than that; he was kind, he was funny, he was gentle. He was also stubborn and anxious and overthought everything and Link loved all of that about him and more. _

_ What the fuck was coming out of his mouth!? _

_ “Yes, his Fish Sticks,” Dorephan nodded. “You really are hungry, aren’t you?” _

_ “Starving.” _

_ “Well, I’m afraid you won’t even get to eat,” Dorephan snarled. “In fact…” _

_ Instead of finishing the old king stooped forward, snatched Link up in his hand and brought him into his mouth. Link felt too numb to even question what was happening, figuring that the cold embrace of death that awaited him would be the sweet release he so sorely desired. _

 

* * *

 

Sidon had to stand in the doorway with a firm hold of Nami’s hand for several minutes so he could process exactly what was happening. 

Link was...well, Sidon had never seen a more perfect cocoon of blankets wrapped around a person’s body. He couldn’t even see Link’s little Hylian feet poking out from the blankets as he rolled back and forth on the floor like a rolling pin. 

Mumbling something about being hungry for fish mixed in with several apologies and questioning why he was being such an idiot. Sidon couldn’t make out complete sentences but he could put that much together. 

“Daddy,” Nami asked, “Is...Link okay?”

“I...really don’t know,” Sidon pursed his lips. “I’m...going to just start dinner.”

“I’m going to wake him up!” Nami announced, and before he could stop her, the little girl ran up and pounced on Link just as he rolled onto his back. The Hylian let out a scream as he sat up, freeing his limbs from his blankets.

“IT’S NOT ABOUT THE FISH STICKS!” Link roared, his eyes just as bloodshot as when Sidon left him. Nami jumped backwards, tumbling onto his lap with a series of giggles. The sound jostled Link a little and he looked down, snapping back into reality a little. “Nami?” he mumbled in confusion.

“Good morning!” she cheered, kicking her feet lightly. The statement jerked the Hylian’s head up and he looked around in a panick.

“Ah ah, you’ve only been asleep a couple of hours, she’s teasing,” Sidon corrected. “Are you hungry?”

Link furrowed his brow in thought before fervently shaking his head. 

Sidon narrowed his gaze. “...are you sure?”

Link nodded his head.

“Listen, I know I’m not nearly the cook that you are but I know a few recipes now that will at least please my child’s palate and I’m sure it will please yours. You’ve been mumbling about food for several minutes in your sleep,” Sidon rattled on as he pulled ingredients out of the pantry and ice chest. “When did you eat last?”

“Um,” Link mumbled, looking down. Slowly lifting his hands, he signed hesitantly, “How many days has it been since you left Hateno?”

Sidon dropped the skillet he was holding. “Link!”

“I’ve...had  _ some _ food in that time,” Link signed, shrugging nervously.

“What has gotten into you?” Sidon pressed, in a state of disbelief. “You were perfectly fine when I left you!”

Link stared down at his hands as Nami placed her little blue ones in them. “What? What’d you say? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Link mumbled, managing a weak smile and pulling the girl into a hug. It almost immediately distracted her as he kissed her forehead, her tail wagging gently. Sidon thanked every Goddess that was ever worshipped and more that Nami was such a good little girl and a great little distraction for Link while he prepared dinner. So the Hylian was tired  _ and _ hungry; no wonder he was delirious. Figuring some food in his stomach would fix the problem, Sidon slid a plate in front of Link when he sat down on the table after setting Nami down in her chair. When Sidon sat down at his own place and dug in, he smiled watching Minami practically inhale her food.

But Link’s plate remained untouched. 

“It’s really good, Link!” Nami insisted with her mouth full. Her cheeks were puffed out as she smiled, crumbs spilling out of her.

“Nami, don’t talk with your mouth full,” Sidon chuckled, too amused by the sight to properly coach his daughter in table manners. Goodness, she was too cute.

Link’s leg was bouncing so much the table was starting to shake. 

“Link?” Sidon asked. “Is everything alright.”

The Hylian exhaled several breaths without actually taking in any air properly and suddenly, Link slammed his hands against the table and pushed himself to his feet. “I can’t.”

“Link?” Nami and Sidon both asked in unison. 

“Just get it over with,” Link’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Talking to your Dad.” 

“Link, it’s just my father,” Sidon gasped. “This meeting can’t be what has you so worked up!” 

Link let out some kind of wheezing noise as he tilted his head to the side and the Zora was almost afraid that his friend was going to snap in half. There was just  _ no way _ that meeting with his father was causing Link that much anxiety. 

Was there?

What the hell was this “negotiation” all about?

Nami let out a series of giggles and said, “I think Link should go talk to Grandpa.”

“Okay,” Sidon finally relented, eyeing the girl’s mischievous smile. That was odd. “Let’s take you to my father.”

“Oh sweet Hylia,” Link groaned, staggering a little. 

“...do you want to wait...or…?”

“Nope!” Link snatched Sidon’s hand, nearly pulling him over the table. He finally let go and signed, “Escort me to your father like you’re supposed to!”

Sidon sighed heavily, taking Nami’s hand who eagerly hopped out of her seat as they followed Link’s nervous march into the palace and down the corridor. Zelda was standing outside the throne room, supposedly waiting for them. Her bright eyes lit up when she saw them and she knelt down, holding her arms out, “Come here, sweet Princess!”

“Comiiiing!” Nami let go of Sidon’s hand and ran up to Princess Zelda, the two embracing tightly. Zelda lifted Nami into her arms and they were whispering about...something that Sidon couldn’t quite catch.

“You two go on inside,” Zelda insisted, “Miss Minami and I will be chatting out here.”

“Well, alright,” Sidon grunted, feeling an odd inkling that he was being lured into a trap. “I’ll be just a moment."

“How long is a moment?” Zelda asked, winking. Sidon frowned in confusion and simply walked passed her.

Leading Link into the throne room, Sidon could help but feel the urge to place a comforting arm around Link’s shoulders as they waited for Dorephan to come back in from one of his meetings with the advisors. Link shuddered under his touch, which only inclined Sidon to hug tighter. 

“Link, it’s alright,” Sidon assured.

“Do you know….do you know what this meeting is about?” Link muttered. 

“No?” Sidon frowned. “Do you?”

“I have a bad feeling,” Link’s voice sounded absolutely ragged. 

“Link,” Sidon guffawed. “Calm yourself, there’s no worry here. If anything there might just be a few questions and concerns from the advisor about the Settlement Zelda proposed that he’ll ask you to clear up .”

Link let out another nervous wheeze. 

There were several minutes before Sidon heard thundering footsteps and he dropped his hand, careful to make sure that Link wasn’t going to teeter too far to one side when he did so. Dorephan lumbered into the throne room, eyes twinkling and smile wide as usual as he took his seat. “Link, my boy! It’s good to see you!”

Link swallowed loudly, not fully able to meet King Dorephan’s gaze as he nodded and waved. Sidon stared the Hylian down with concern. Beads of sweat were pooling at his forehead and his cheeks were pale, he looked absolutely feverish. 

“Link, is everything alright?” Dorephan asked. Link exhaled a shaky breath, his chest almost caving in on itself in response. After a few minutes when it seemed apparent that Link wouldn’t be able to formulate an answer, the prince decided to step in and help.

“Evidently, Link has suffered some sleep deprivation over the last few days,” Sidon explained. 

“Ah,” Dorephan hummed. “I can imagine you’ve been under some great stress.”

“Oh no,” Link stooped forward and braced his hands on his legs. 

“Oh come now, Link, there’s no reason to be distraught!” Dorephan smiled. “I’m sure Zelda told you why I wished to speak with you.”

“Yeah,” Link gasped, nodding his head as he stood up. His hands trembling, he managed to sign, “Look, King Dorephan...I-I mean no disrespect. If anything I didn’t want this to get out and--”

The Hylian couldn’t finish and Sidon tilted his head, “Link...what on earth are you speaking of? You are nothing but respectful!”

“Oh geez,” Link gasped. Forcing himself to look up at the king and smile, he signed, “And I mean no disrespect by this question, but do you think that we could...have this discussion in private?”

Sidon’s eyes flitted from Link to his father and back before he caught the cue and nodded, “Ah! Pardon me, I’ll escort myself out now--”

“No, Sidon, you stay right here, My Son,” Dorephan ordered, freezing the prince in his tracks. 

“Um, but Father--”

“No, no,” Dorephan waved his hand. “I understand why you would want to speak in private but this is really a conversation that I would rather have with the both of you simultaneously.”

“Uhhh,” Link groaned out loud, bouncing on his heels as he signed, “No, I really think we should have this in private.”

“Nonsense!” Dorephan chuckled, smiling brightly in a way that almost seemed to drain the life from Link even more. “After all, it’s not every day when I get to speak of my son receiving a potential--”

A loud thud kept his father from finishing his sentence and Sidon whipped his head to the side, jumping when there was air where Link had been. Tilting his head down he found Link collapsed on the ground.

“LINK!” Sidon yelped, sliding onto his knees as he inspected the Hylian’s limp body. He carefully lifted his head into his hand and Link let out a little moan, his eyes fluttering open briefly before rolling into the back of his head.

“Good heavens!” Dorephan leaned forward in alarm. “Sidon, go get the Healers!” 

By the time the healers had arrived and lifted Link onto a stretcher, Link was barely conscious again and muttering incoherently. They rushed him out of the throne room and Sidon barely registered Zelda’s and Nami’s alarmed questions asking him what had happened. 

Sidon couldn’t even explain what had happened.

“We were just...Father was just about to say something and he collapsed!” he balked. The four of them waited anxiously in the waiting room of the infirmary and it felt like ages before a healer came out with an answer for them.

“It looks like he just fainted from a mix between exhaustion and anxiety,” the old woman elaborated. “The boy is awake but he is absolutely out of sorts. I want to keep him overnight just to make sure he didn’t concuss himself on the way down.”

“Can we see him?” Sidon asked anxiously.

“Not yet,” she shook her head. “His breathing is out of control and we’re trying to get him to stop hyperventilating. We’ll come get you when he’s more stable.”

“Hyperventilating?” Sidon leaned forward and crossed his arms, his concern turning more to anger. “What on  _ earth _ did you need to speak with him about, Father?”

As he turned his head, both King Dorephan and Princess Zelda were avoiding his gaze. 

Sidon looked to each of them and felt a snarl forming in the back of his throat. “What did you two do?”

“Well,” Dorephan offered. “We were...getting worried…”

“About?”

“A little over a week ago...before you visited Hateno,” Zelda offered. “Link shared some... _ personal _ information with me.”

“Oh for Heaven’s sake,” Sidon covered his face, having a bad feeling about what was going to come out of her mouth next. “Please tell me you weren’t trying to talk to him about his preferences, Father.”

“Well, you know full well that I see no wrong in that,” Dorephan mumbled. “The heart wants what it wants!”

Sidon knew the way Dorephan avoided his gaze too well because it was the same look that he wore when he tried to get away with a lie as a child. “And?”

“There was...a little more to it than that,” Zelda grimaced. 

Sidon expected the Princess to elaborate on that statement and actually give him some answers but finally, it was his father that admitted, “Sidon, all I wanted was to give you boys my blessing.”

“Your--” Sidon started to echo before his thoughts came crashing to a screeching halt.

It was for the first time that he glanced down at Minami who had her lips pressed into a thin line to keep from smiling because she didn’t know how else to react. 

Seemingly...aware of what was being discussed.

Too aware. 

Sidon’s mouth dropped agape as he looked to the three of them, things starting to come together.

Zelda’s unexpected visit. 

Nami’s heightened awareness and pointed questions about Link.

His father’s...overexcited tone that morning when he announced that he had sent for the Hylian.

“You…” Sidon snarled, forcing himself to stop short before curses befell his lips. “You two tried to set us up!”

Dorephan and Zelda both cringed at the accusation and it was Princess Zelda who threw her hands forward and insisted, “The feelings are mutual, Prince Sidon!” 

“You’ve been absolutely miserable over this,” Dorephan pleaded. “All I wanted was to see my son happy!”

“That doesn’t mean you can just go around meddling with my life!” Sidon growled back, baring his teeth. “Link hasn’t slept or eaten and now he’s collapsed because of the stress you two have put him under!”

“He hasn’t slept or eaten since  _ you _ left Hateno!” Zelda snapped back. “Without either of you two saying anything to each other about your feelings! He’s tearing himself up over it just as much as you are!”

“How was I supposed to know that!?” Sidon snapped, laughing at how cruel the irony of it all was. He couldn’t even think about the fact that Link’s feelings for him had finally been confirmed, he was more enraged that the two most important people in their lives had gone behind their backs like this. 

“Sidon,” Dorephan’s eyes had lost their twinkle. Instead they were sparkling with sadness. “I am so so sorry I didn’t talk to you more directly. I just--I was so worried that I was some kind of barrier keeping you from talking to him...I thought...I thought that if I gave you my blessing--”

“IT’S NOT JUST YOUR BLESSING!” Sidon roared so loud that he saw Minami jump behind Zelda and her eyes begin to water from the corner of his eye. He hadn’t fully realized that he let out a roar in the process too until he was heaving trying to get his gills to flatten back down against his sides and his throat felt raspy. A sob caught in his throat as he looked his father dead in the eye and finally said, “It’s Mipha’s forgiveness.”

He hated the way his father’s expression fell.

He absolutely hated the way that tears fell out of his eyes. 

He hated even more that he was the cause of that. 

“Sidon…” Dorephan whimpered softly. “I...Mipha would understand--”

“Did  _ Mipha _ tell you that herself?” Sidon snapped back at him, kicking himself for saying it but feeling a release he desperately needed by just getting the words out in the air finally and he couldn’t stop himself. “Is  _ she _ here to tell me this!?”

Zelda put a comforting arm around Nami as Dorephan looked to the ground and shook his head, “No, son…”

“Then how am I supposed to know?” Sidon asked, his voice trembling. “ _ How am I supposed to move on like this!? _ ”

“Sidon, you can’t just--” Zelda started to say but Dorephan stopped her, moving his hand in front of her and nearly covering her entire body from Sidon’s view in the process.

“I am so sorry, My Son,” Dorephan nodded. “So sorry…”

By the time Sidon noticed that he was crying, he had lost his last shred of energy to care about it. Nami hesitantly stepped around Zelda and walked up to him, placing a small and gentle hand on his thigh as tears tugged at her own eyes. “Dad...please don’t be mad, we just want you to be happy…”

Sidon let out a sob at her statement then promptly sucked it back in so he could look at her, running a hand over her dorsal fin. “It’s okay, Sweetie, it’s not your fault.”

“But, Dad…” tears ran down Nami’s cheek, “Yes it is!”

“Nami,” Sidon sighed, having to cover his face to keep from losing his composure completely in front of his daughter. “I’m sorry, my sweet I...I need to take a moment…”

“You take your time, Son,” Dorephan rumbled. 

“Zelda could you…” Sidon was starting to fight to take in air, “Could you please watch Nami for a bit? I need to step outside.”

“Of course,” Zelda stepped forward, trying to tug on Nami’s hand though the child tried to follow after Sidon. “Nami, come here.”

Sidon was out the door before he could break down at the sounds of his child crying out for him on top of the tears already falling. He walked briskly in the night air, trying to wipe his face dry and put on a smile for the people he passed on the streets. He circled around parts of the Domain, trying to find a secluded area. He tried his sister’s statue, but looking up at her was just…

Nothing felt right.

He just felt…

He needed to  _ go _ . 

So he ran. 

And he ran as fast as he did the very night he heard the news of Mipha’s final, painful fate. Only this time, he finally found solace in the very beast he once resented for her death.

As if Ruta had sensed his distress, it was waiting for him at the dock and Sidon didn’t even have to jump into the water to reach the lift that brought him to the main console. He didn’t know where he was going or what he was doing, but he felt at such a loss that, well, he put his hands to his head and fell to his knees. 

And he sobbed. 

And he screamed.

He screamed and cried out for his sister. He didn’t know what had overcome him so violently. Link had once caught him in an even angrier moment of weakness like this and described it as a panic attack. This could have been another one. 

But he didn’t feel angry...he just felt helpless. 

“Mipha, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Sidon sobbed, pressing his face to the floor. “I didn’t mean to do this I didn’t want to do this I don’t want to be like this! I’m sorry!”

It didn’t matter how much he apologized, he felt it wouldn’t matter. 

He…

He hated this.

“I hate myself…” Sidon whimpered, tears running into his mouth he was crying so hard.

“ _ Now you just stop that!” _ a voice called out to him. Mipha’s voice. Sidon squinted his eyes shut and cried harder, trying to purge his mind of hypothetical words of encouragement that he knew she wouldn’t really say at a time like this. He needed to be honest with himself; he didn’t deserve it. 

“ _ Sidon, don’t speak so poorly of yourself you know you don’t deserve this,”  _ that voice rang out again.  _ “You know this and you know that Father is right. I could never hate you or resent you, it’s okay.” _

“No it’s not!!”

_ “Sidon--Sidon, look at me--” _

“Why does my mind have to play so many tricks on me of course I don’t deserve your kindness!” Sidon snapped, finally turning his head up.

And there he froze. 

Another sob escaped him with all the air left in his body. 

Gently kneeling down, she placed a soft hand on his shoulder. It felt like a vague, indistinct pressure more than the silky touch of her hand and yet…

He couldn’t mistake those beautiful golden eyes, or those shimmering crimson scales lit up by the glowing aura of her spirit. With her other hand she reached forward and wiped a tear from his cheek. 

And she smiled. A smile so beautiful that Sidon hadn’t seen in over a century.

_ “No brother of mine is going to look at me with all of the wonderful things he has done for his people and his friends and say that he is undeserving of love and good in his life,”  _ Mipha said simply, her voice soft yet still echoing through the inside of Ruta.

“M-Mipha,” Sidon coughed up another sob. She moved her hand from his shoulder to touch his other cheek. “This can’t be real,” the prince shook his head. “No...no, Link freed you from Ruta you should be resting in peace finally--”

“ _ How can I rest when my sweet baby brother is so tormented like this?”  _ she asked.  _ “Sidon, I can assure you that you aren’t dreaming. I am real, and I am here. I can’t stay in this world for long but I can stay long enough to help you.” _

“But…” Sidon’s mind was processing at a slower rate than his mouth, but he knew in his heart that she was right. It both swelled in relief and weighed him down with grief. Grief for her life, grief for her mistakes. 

He was whimpering like a child. 

“ _ Shhh, _ ” Mipha wiped his tears away, a warm, gentle smile on her face. “ _ Look at you, Sidon. You’re so handsome!” _

At that, it all came crashing down on him and Sidon’s face contorted in another sob. He let out a cry, and then fell forward onto her chest, sobbing in her lap, clinging to her like he had as a hatchling. All the while she pressed her forehead to the top of his whispering words of comfort, just like she used to. 

He wanted to feel overjoyed. He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to brag about how much taller he had grown than her. He wanted to tell her about his daughter and how proud she would be of the little girl that aspired to be just like her aunt. He wanted...he wanted to apologize to her. 

But there, in that moment, in the grace of that miracle, that gift from the Goddesses above, all he could do was cry in his sister’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....I think now while you all are either screaming and filling my inbox with "how" or just crying like I am to tell you all that I had made a shitpost on tumblr a while ago before anyone was following me about Sidon pining so hard that he rose Mipha from the dead to help him get his shit together.
> 
> I did good on my word yo. 
> 
> It just...came out more emotional than the original post XD


	25. Mipha's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon finally hears the words he so desperately needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello I am ObakeAri/Majestically-fangirling and it takes me 25 Chapters to make my story summary make sense. 
> 
> Woops.

Sidon couldn’t quite get his crying under control, so Mipha decided when to calm down for him. She was gentle, just as she had always been when he was a child. She held his hands and told him to lift his head, kissed his cheeks - one time on each side any time he started showing signs of breaking down all over again - and nuzzled his forehead with hers as she purred and whispered her quiet compliments about how tall he was, how long and beautiful he was, how much he looked like Mom, how strong he must’ve been. 

Mipha traced a gentle finger along the front of his crest, wearing that small smile and soft eyes he had known so well once. Her hand then danced down the side of his head until it lifted one of the fins that framed his head. “Sidon, where did you get this scar?”

“What? Oh,” Sidon shook his head, grunting several times as he covered his scar bashfully. “Well, you see, there was this uh, gigantic Octorok. It was terrorizing the people of Lurelin Village and...uhm, well when word of it reached the Domain I...took it upon myself to slay it.”

It was hard meeting his sister’s gaze as he recounted the tale, knowing full well the worry in her eyes that he would see when he did look back up at her. Sure enough, it was there but it was not near as strong as the worry he dreaded seeing as a little boy. Instead of scolding him she heaved a sigh and stroked his face gently, noting, “Those people must’ve been very grateful when you slayed that beast.”

“I can’t say if I slayed it for sure,” Sidon chuckled. “It had inhaled me so I pierced it from the inside out. I was so disoriented after that and I couldn’t deliver a finishing blow before it retreated. I would hope that it died of its wounds but I can’t be sure.”

“Still,” Mipha smiled brightly. “You saved so many people that day. You should be proud.”

“Oh goodness,” Sidon turned away. “It was hardly one of my proudest feats, to have nearly been bested by an  _ Octorok _ . But...I was so young then, barely what you could consider an adult.”

“You should be proud!” Mipha teased, punching his shoulder lightly. “Even if you were nearly monster food.”

At that, Sidon spat up a laugh.

“There’s that smile I missed so much,” Mipha noted. “Goodness, you had me so worried with all those tears.”

“I am truly sorry,” Sidon deflated at that, staring down at his hands intertwined in Mipha’s, both sets on her lap. When he was a little boy and would seek her out for comfort, she would always take his hands and hold them in her lap. Her hands were large and warm compared to his at the time and he felt so safe. 

Now, his hands practically engulfed hers and they were definitely too large to be resting in her lap. In fact, he completely dwarfed her in general. 

“I really have gotten tall…” Sidon mumbled out loud, eyeing the spirit of his sister in awe. Mipha’s smile brightened all the more as she ducked her head forward, laughing at his statement. 

“Well of course you have!” she giggled. “You’re all grown up now! And with a child of your own, no less!” 

Sidon jumped at that statement. “Y-you know about Minami?”

“Of course I do,” she grinned, running her thumb along the side of his hand. “I gave her my power, didn’t I?” 

“So you  _ were _ there that day?” Sidon’s eyes widened. “When the Yiga Clan attacked?”

“The memory is faint, but I remember Ruta crying out for my help because you were in trouble,” Mipha explained. “And I remember hearing this...pure voice. This beautiful little girl calling out to her father. But when I opened my eyes, the father and daughter that I had sensed...it was you, holding this precious child.”

Sidon felt tears welling up in his eyes all over again. “So...when I heard your voice...that really was you?”

Instead of answering his question, Mipha simply chuckled and gave his hands another squeeze. “I have no use for my power,” she said simply. “I remember our great aunt. She was the one who passed it down to me just before you were born. She said it was a secret ability that she only reserved for patients in extreme cases, but she believed I had the resolve to turn it into something more. She also told me that when the time came for me to give it to someone else that I had to be certain of their resolve was as pure as crystal waters.”

“Link told me that you had passed it onto him so he could defeat Ganon,” Sidon noted. “But he never had conscious control over it.”

“Yes,” Mipha nodded. “I knew when I gave it to him that it would not last. It is an ancient power that is said only a Zora could possess. But I knew that as the Hero he could awaken it to protect his life if the need ever came. And when my spirit moved on, the power would come back with me. But when I saw that little girl, crying for you. Her heart was so full of love, Sidon. She is young but I knew she could handle it.”

He was just too amazed, Sidon did not have the words. 

“So,” Mipha adjusted slightly, a twinkle in her eyes that Sidon hadn’t seen in anyone but their father in years. “How is Link?”

“Oh,” Sidon exhaled, the sense of wonder now gone. He ducked his head. “Mipha...I--”

“Hush,” Mipha swiftly placed a finger over his mouth, her expression stern. “I don’t want to be hearing any apologies from you, Brother.”

“But--” Sidon tried to say even though his lips were being squashed by his finger.

“The only thing you have to be sorry for is not listening to Father more,” she said. “After all...did he not want for us more than anything to follow our hearts?”

She finally lifted her finger off of his lips and Sidon heaved a sigh, “Indeed he does.”

Mipha chuckled. “You’ve never been good about putting yourself first without overthinking it.”

Sidon chuckled too, “Yes, I know...I’m hopeless. I don’t even have the words to say what I’ve been feeling about this mess.”

“That’s okay,” Mipha patted his hand. “And it’s not as big of a mess as you may think; your heart is just conflicted. So perhaps...we can start by recounting how this started?”

“How it started?” Sidon choked up.

“Yes,” Mipha nodded. “How your feelings for Link started.”

Sidon had to think hard on that for a moment. There was no way he could be concise about this at all, and he had no idea how much time he actually had with his sister’s spirit. He certainly didn’t want her to be in the world of the living for too long...it couldn’t be good for her. 

And also he didn’t want to get too attached to having her around again. 

“Uh,” Sidon couldn’t meet her gaze.

“It’s alright,” she said softly. “Take your time. Was it love at first sight? Or perhaps a more specific event?”

Sidon racked his brain for a few moments, trying to go back to the beginning. When he met Link as an adult. It couldn’t have been then. Certainly, he admired Link and felt a connection with him that drew the two closer as friends and then...into whatever this was. But if he really thought hard about it he supposed...he supposed it had to do with a vision in his mind of little Nami sitting on his shoulders as they both stared emphatically down at the food Link was masterfully sauteing in a pan one evening. And evening when the little girl was terribly sick and Sidon was but a new caretaker that couldn’t even dream of falling in love or being a father.

Prince Sidon sucked in a breath; of all the trials he had ever faced, admitting all of this to his sister was by far the hardest for him. “It all started...it started with grief, and then a little girl.”

“Your little girl?” Mipha tilted her head to the side curiously

The prince bit his lip. It was hard enough admitting that he had fallen in love, but when he was sitting there with his sister feeling like little more than the child he had been when he lost her...he just felt downright unsuitable as a parent. Nevertheless, Nami was his light, his everything. “Yes,” he finally said, meeting Mipha’s gaze. “My sweet sweet little girl. And he helped me care for her and then...oh, Goddess above I looked away for a moment and then he stole my heart but I don’t even want it back.”

 

* * *

 

When Link finally regained his sense of awareness and started breathing more evenly, the first thing he wanted to do was throw up. 

Not like he had any food in his body to purge or anything but…

Sighing in defeat, Link rested his head on the pillow as a healer gently laid the blanket over him. “Would you like to sleep?” she asked. 

Link shook his head, figuring he wouldn’t be able to anyway. 

“Well, your friends have been worried about you and would like to see you,” she explained simply. “Would you like to see them?”

At that, Link had to contemplate hard on the question. Between his humiliation of knowing that he fainted in the middle of the throne room because apparently the Triforce of Courage was a myth, and the dread of knowing that Sidon either knew by this point what was up or that he still owed King Dorephan the conversation regardless, he wasn’t so sure.

But having company sure beat being alone right now.

Finally, Link nodded his head and the healer sent for them.

He was first surprised that King Dorephan had actually been able to fit through the tall archways, though it still looked like a struggle. He was then surprised when two people that he knew had been around when he fainted were missing. He waited for them to come in as Zelda sat down at his bedside and immediately took his hand, but neither came.

“Where’s Nami?” Link croaked. “Did Sidon put her to bed?”

“No,” Zelda heaved a heavy sigh. “Nami is...a little upset right now so one of the guards is keeping her company.”

Link lifted his head slightly at that. Glancing up at the king for the first time he saw how exhausted and...sad the old king looked. 

He looked absolutely heartbroken. 

“King Dorephan?” Link muttered. 

“Princess Zelda,” Dorephan said in a low voice, not meeting either Hylians’ gaze. “Could you possibly give Link and I a moment alone?”

“Of course,” Zelda nodded. She gave Link a sad smile and a comforting squeeze before she exited. As he watched her back, Link exhaled a deep sigh, trying to quell his pounding heart and leaned his head against the pillow. 

When she was out the door, Link forced himself to speak first, “Sir…”

Dorephan simply held up a hand and asked, “Is it alright if I speak first?”

Link nodded, swallowing a nervous lump in his throat. 

Dorephan took a deep, long breath. 

A pause.

“Link, I am so sorry,” Dorephan finally said. His voice nearly broke as the words left his lips. “The last thing I ever wanted was to put you and Sidon under so much emotional stress.” 

“King Dorephan--”

“No, no, Link, please,” Dorephan sighed. “I was out of line to bring you all the way here and push you out into the open before your were prepared. And, I know I shouldn’t be speaking for her, but Zelda feels truly horrible for letting your secret out. She really does, Link.”

Link heaved a heavy sigh and ran his hand through his hair, scratching the back of his head. He felt his chest rise quickly and involuntarily. He suddenly realized that he had a few sobs coming up and he fought hard to keep them down. 

“The fact that I sent my own son out wandering the streets who knows where and led you all the way to this bed is unforgivable,” Dorephan shook his head. 

“Now you’re being too hard on yourself,” Link scoffed as he signed the words. The king gave a sad smile. “You were doing what you felt was right, no one can fault you there. I certainly don’t and I can promise that I’m not upset with you by any means, King Dorephan.”

“You are too king, my friend,” Dorephan said. “But in all seriousness, Link, my intention was...well it was carried out in the worst way possible because my true intention was to relieve stress from you, not add to it.”

At that, Link’s eyes darted up at the king, who was chuckling now. “Link, I wanted to give you my blessing.”

Before his mind could even process what he was saying, Link sat up and blurted, “Why?”

“Why?” Dorephan echoed, almost surprised by the question. It was then when he truly broke out into the boisterous laughter that he was known so well for. “Why Link! You are a most cherished friend to all in my family. You know what my first thought was when Sidon came out to me?”

Link felt his ears twitch downward in confusion, “What?”

“I tried so hard not to say it out loud,” Dorephan mused, chuckling to himself. “But in hindsight I suppose that if I had I would have spared you both a lot of trouble! I thought, I thought to myself how wonderful it would be if my son could find someone just like you. How badly I wanted that and then I thought, well hell! The only man in the world that has ever made Sidon smile as genuinely and freely as you do is...well, you!”

Dorephan gestured gently towards Link, a smile on his face before he continued, “It did make my heart ache, because I had no idea of knowing what my jewel of a daughter would think of such thoughts. What  _ Sidon _ especially would think of me. But then sweet little Minami came up to me and told me she thought you two had feelings for each other and...well, Zelda confirmed that and while she knows now that it wasn’t her place to share that information well, I can’t help but feel that the Goddesses are smiling down on you boys.”

“So…” Link started before his voice caught in his throat. He cleared it and signed, “you’re okay with this? With my feelings for Sidon?”

“I couldn’t think of a better man to court my son and help raise my granddaughter,” Dorephan said gently. “So...if that is where your heart guides you. I implore you to follow it. Not for my sake, but for your own. Please.”

Link felt a smile tugging at his lips. He felt lighter than air. “Thank you,” he whispered softly, bowing as best as he could from within his bed. “Truly.”

As if the timing was perfect, Link’s stomach gave a loud rumble.

Ohhh heavens, he really was hungry. 

Dorephan chuckled. “Should I go have one of the healers bring you dinner now that this weight is off your shoulders?”

“ _ Please _ .”

 

* * *

 

Sidon was visibly shaking once he finally recounted the events leading up to now. It had been hard looking Mipha directly in the eye at first, but now he couldn’t look away from her. He stared intently at her, eyes wide, searching for any sign of disapproval to cross her gaze. And yet she kept the straightest poker face that he had ever seen, which almost made him more nervous. 

“Mipha,” Sidon’s voice croaked. “Please say something.”

“Sidon,” Mipha sighed heavily and Sidon felt his heart drop for a second before she continued, “Link  _ told you _ about the conversation I had with him the night before the Calamity.”

“Well, yes--”

Before Sidon even knew what happened, she gave him a firm glare and punched him hard in the shoulder. 

“Ow!”

“Oh! Sorry!” Mipha recoiled, appalled by her own action, but she righted herself quickly and continued, “Why the hell have you been holding yourself back if you knew that!?” 

Sidon’s voice caught in the back of his throat and he realized that he didn’t have an answer for her. 

“It’s a serious question, Sidon,” Mipha crossed her arms and in that moment she looked so much like their Mother it was uncanny.

“I…” Sidon choked up. “I didn’t know if you would still be hurt by my actions…”

“Oh, Sidon, sweetie,” Mipha covered her face with her hands. When she looked up, she was almost laughing. “I had one hundred years to reconcile my feelings for Link. I never had a doubt in my mind that he loved me, it was just a question of what kind of love it was. And I never stopped loving him either. But now” -Mipha looked deeply into Sidon’s eyes and placed her hand on his cheek- “I can assure you that my love for him is that for a dear friend. The heart mends easily from rejection when it wasn’t meant to be, but it’s not one that can heal from the torture of denying oneself happiness.”

“But,” Sidon shook his head fervently, “How could I with good conscious try to even  _ court _ Link knowing that--”

“I am going to stop you right there because otherwise we will just wind up speaking in circles,” Mipha said gently yet firmly. “Sidon, don’t you get it? Link’s heart was not meant for me. You said yourself how desperately he wanted to love me romantically, but I’m not who his soul yearns for.”

Sidon looked at her in confusion as she lifted her hand and placed it against his chest, saying, “You are.”

“What?” Sidon’s voice sounded so small in his ears. 

“Even now I can hear his spirit calling out for you,” Mipha said. “You two are meant to be together. And if it’s my forgiveness that you seek before you move on then I’m afraid that I have none to give. Sidon, there is simply nothing that you have to apologize for, do you understand?”

The proud Zora prince was weeping all over again as he nodded his head.

“What I can give you,” Mipha said, pulling him into a hug. “Is my blessing. And my wish for you two to live out your fullest lives together as lovers, husbands, and soulmates.”

Sidon coughed up a few sobs, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her as close as he could. “Thank you,” he whimpered. 

“You’re such a wonderful brother,” she said softly. “Don’t you ever forget that. I’m so proud of you.”

Sidon cried a little harder, holding her a little tighter not daring to let go. He was beyond relieved, but he also felt the twinge of sadness that while he finally heard the words he so desperately needed…

He didn’t know how long she would stay.

“Sweet brother, what upsets you so?” Mipha ran her hand down his tail. “I thought this would’ve made you happy.”

“It does but I don’t want this moment to end,” Sidon heaved. “I’m not ready to let you go yet, I’m sorry.”

At that, Mipha pulled away from the hug, a confused look on her face, “What do you mean?”

Sidon’s dried up suddenly in his mutual confusion. He stared at his sister, “Well. You said that you only had long enough to help me.”

“Yes,” Mipha nodded, not looking as if she followed him fully. “But I’m not...leaving right after this conversation.”

“You aren’t?” Sidon frowned at that. “But...I thought that…”

“Your cries for forgiveness woke me, yes,” Mipha nodded. She ran her tongue over her teeth and pursed her lips together as if she wasn’t certain she wanted to finish her statement.

“Mipha, what is it?” Sidon asked. This time it was his turn to run his hand gently along her tail. 

“The...root of your problem is that...your spirit longs to be with Link, receiving my blessing was just...part of that,” Mipha said slowly, trying to choose her words carefully. “So...I awoke to help you...which means that…”

Mipha trailed off but Sidon found himself groaning at his own stupidity as he put the pieces together. “Oh no,” he covered his face with his hands. “You’re stuck here until I get my act together and court Link, aren’t you…”

“You say that as if I’m trapped unwillingly but…” Mipha cringed as she tilted her head to the side. “Yes.”

“Oh no,” Sidon grumbled again, his heart stinging at the word ‘trapped’. “Mipha, I am  _ so sorry! _ ”

“Sidon,” Mipha said firmly. “What did I say about apologizing?”

“Oh,” Sidon grunted. “Sorry.”

When he realized that he had apologized again, he nearly jumped into another apology but covered his mouth. Mipha chuckled and found herself asking, “So, why don’t you tell me about something that you’ve actually wanted to share, hmm?”

“That I’ve wanted to…?” Sidon hummed. His tail immediately started wagging at the first thought of it and he took Mipha’s hands into his and started, “Oh, Mipha, I must tell you all about Minami. The girl is simply a treasure! She--I should bring her here tomorrow and she can meet you finally!”

“Oh, Sidon, that sounds wonderful,” Mipha smiled warmly. “But...I am not certain as to whether or not she would see me.”

“Why not?” Sidon asked.

“Well, it was your spirit that sought me out,” Mipha shrugged. “Which is why you can see me. But you couldn’t see me when it was Ruta who sought me out. You could only really hear and feel fleeting glimpses of my presence. I fear the same might be the case for little Minami if you brought her.”

“Well,” Sidon looked down, “No matter.  _ You _ can still meet her! Oh, Mipha you’d love her; she’s kind, and funny, and so smart and…”

It slowly started to dawn on Sidon how much time had elapsed since he left the infirmary with Nami in Zelda’s care. 

His horror with himself must’ve been evident in his expression because Mipha simply chuckled and said, “Go to her. I’ll have plenty of time to meet her tomorrow, just like you say.”

“Right,” Sidon nodded, finally rising to his feet. He turned to leave, but paused at the entrance. He looked back at where his sister stood, her spirit absolutely glowing with ethereal beauty. Unable to control himself, Sidon took a step back towards her. 

And then another, and another.

Before he knew it, Sidon was bending forward and pulling her into a hug so tight he lifted her off the ground. “Oh! Sidon!” Mipha grunted in alarm before she settled in his arms.

“I can’t thank you enough,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “But there is something I haven’t said that I should simply say more of while I have the opportunity.”

“What’s that?” Mipha asked, wriggling her lithe arms free to wrap them around his neck.

“I love you, Sister.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the real question is: how fucking long is it going to take for Link and Sidon to /actually/ communicate their love for each other properly.
> 
> (Hint: the keyword here is properly)


	26. The Sweetest Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Nami is still upset about what happened. Good thing she has some two great guys that love her very much to help her feel better. 
> 
> Now if only they could actually talk about the feelings they have for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tfw when you wake your sister from the dead because of your pining and now your daughter is upset because your pining upset you.

If Sidon hadn’t been worried about Nami before, he certainly was when Rivan came running up to him.

“Prince Sidon!” he called out, panting heavily as he skidded to a halt. “P-Princess Minami ran off!”

“What?!” Sidon gasped. “Wh-where did she go!?”  

“Well we found her,” Rivan heaved. “It’s just...the problem is that she won’t let anyone near her. She said she’s waiting for you!”

Sidon frowned hard at that.

“That doesn’t seem right,” Sidon noted. “Where is she?”

“At Princess Mipha’s statue, sir,” Rivan said.

“And she was looking for me?” Sidon asked again. The guard nodded and the prince felt a sinking pit forming in his stomach. “Rivan, what were her _exact_ words?”

 

* * *

 

Minami sat huddled in a ball, trying hard to keep from crying but she couldn’t stop no matter what.

She ruined it all.

She broke Daddy’s heart. Made Link sick. Link would probably never be her other dad now.

She didn’t even know how Dad could forgive her either.  

Another blubber escaped Nami and she ducked her little head crying.

“Nami, please, it’s alright,” Aunt Zelda said, reaching a hand out to her but she just swatted her away.

“No!” Nami sobbed. “I-I’m waiting for my parents!”

“Minami, I promise your father will be back soon,” Zelda tried to say, but Nami only sobbed harder. “Oh, sweetie I’m so sorry.”

“I’m waiting on my parents,” Nami sobbed again, rubbing at her little eyes. She didn’t know what else to say or do...all she knew that she could do was just…

Wait.

Wait for something that would never come back.

It even made her wonder if her daddy would ever come back too.  

She didn’t know how long she sat there sobbing, but she didn’t even want to look up when she heard the footsteps of a large Zora. Too afraid to get her hopes up, she didn’t bother looking up until she heard his voice.

“Zelda,” Dad’s voice was soft, “Thank you for watching her.”

“Of course,” Zelda nodded. “Prince Sidon, listen, I am truly sorry--”

“It’s alright, Dad said again, “Do you mind if I have a moment with her?”

“Of course.”

Nami heard Zelda stand up and walk away. The little girl tried to keep her sobs from coming up anymore as she felt Dad sit down beside her, his large arm looping around her shoulders. Nami hiccuped, more tears spilling out of her eyes.

“Minami,” Dad’s voice was even more soft and gentle than before. “What troubles my sweet little girl? Did I really worry you that much?”

Nami wished she had more control of the wails that escaped her mouth, but she really didn’t.

“Ohhh, sweetheart,” Dad wrapped his arm tighter around her, lifting her onto his lap. She only cried harder, ducking her little head into his chest. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“N-nnooooo!” Nami sobbed, barely able to see even when she opened her eyes to look up at him. “I-It’s my fauu-haaaaault!” 

“Nami,” Dad frowned, gently trying to brush tears out of her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I told-I told them! It’s my fault! I just wanted you to be happyyyy,” Nami couldn’t control her voice as it droned on, even through her hiccups. “I-I didn’t mean to-to hurt yooou!”

“Oh oh Nami, sweetie,” Dad hugged her tight. “It’s alright, it’s alright. I’m here.” 

“I’m sorry!” Nami coughed, trying to hold in her sob. It only gave her an even worse headache than was already starting to form and she just sobbed louder than her vocal chords could handle.

“Nami,” Dad rocked her gently. “Dear Child, you have nothing to be sorry for!”

“But!” Nami blubbered again. “I told Zelda and Grandpa! I didn’t want to hurt yooou!”

“I know that,” Dad chuckled, giving a smile as he wiped more tears out of her eyes before pulling her back into the hug, adjusting her so he could look down at her and rock her more. “Minami, you are one of the sweetest, most kind hearted little Zora I have ever known. Your intentions were nothing but the best for us, I know that. Link knows that. And I am so thankful for you to have thought so much about my well-being. It’s alright.”

Nami whimpered as she nodded her head, burying her face in Dad’s chest. “So you don’t-you don’t hate me…?”

She sniffled and kicked herself for having asked the question in the first place, because the way Dad’s face fell and his eyes watered up was almost just as painful as seeing him as upset as he was in the infirmary.

“Oh, Minami,” Dad cupped her cheek in his hand. “My sweet little treasure, I could _never_ hate you. There’s not a force on this earth that would make such a cruel idea ever even cross my mind. I love you so much. Do you understand?” 

Nami coughed up a few more sobs as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on for dear life. There wasn’t much said, Dad just let her cry as he held her and rocked her and purred and soothed her. Nami eventually got her tears under control and her sobs reduced to whimpers. She hid her face in his shoulder, and Dad ran a hand gently over her tail. He drew a soft breath and to Nami’s surprise Dad began to sing.

 

_Hush now, my story_  

_Close your eyes and sleep_

_Waltzing the waves_

_Diving in the deep_  

_Stars are shining bright_

_The wind is on the rise_

_Whispering words_

_Of long lost lullabies_

 

Dad kept tempo by gently patting his hand along Nami’s back, rocking her slowly. The child sniffled as she lifted her head, turning it slightly so she could rest on his chest a little more comfortably. She sat there, taking in the song, the familiar tune…

She knew that song…

If Nami closed her eyes, she could hear a woman’s soft voice rocking her just like Dad was. She could hear her voice; the prettiest voice Nami had ever heard. Like the voice of an angel. Taking a deep breath, Nami carefully sang alongside her daddy.

 

_Oh won’t you come with me_

_Where the moon is made of gold_

_And in the morning sun_

_We’ll be sailing_

_Oh won’t you come with me_

_Where the ocean meets the sky_

_And as the clouds roll by_

_We’ll sing the song of the sea_

 

Dad placed a gentle kiss on Nami’s forehead, his eyes sparkling as he asked, “Do you know that song?”

Nami nodded her head slowly and she rubbed her eyes.

“I dunno where though,” she mumbled. Dad chuckled, nuzzling the top of her head. When he drew it back he was smiling.

“I think I might have an idea,” he grinned. Nami gave him a quizzical look, but Dad merely kissed her head and said, “Your mother and father would be so proud of you, you know that?”

_That_ gave Nami a bit of a start and she jumped slightly in his lap. She looked up to find Dad staring out towards the courtyard, a strange look on his face. “This is where we met, wasn’t it?”

Quizzical, Nami gave a small nod.

Dad smiled.

“I remember that night so vividly,” he mused. “I remember how you tucked your little head against my chest, much like you are now, and nestled up in my arm and you just...fell asleep and I fell in love. I wish I had known then just how much I loved you, you were just destined to be my sweet little princess the moment I first heard those purrs of yours.”

Nami looked down as he spoke, staring at his large, strong hands that held her. She placed her little blue hand atop his, and snuggled further into his lap.

“You were also littler back then,” Dad said, eyes sparkling as he looked down at her. “And my, how you've grown so much in just the short time I’ve had the honor to be your father. You’ve grown taller, you’ve grown stronger, you’ve just...blossomed into one of the greatest blessings of my life, Minami. Your parents would be so so proud of you.”

“My parents?” Nami asked, sitting up straighter. Dad nodded his head and she found herself standing up on his lap, feeling really confused now. Dad simply closed his eyes and touched his forehead to hers, purring. Nami reciprocated, feeling safe in the soft resonation that came from deep within his throat as she timed her own with the sound almost on reflex. Sometimes, if she kept her eyes closed and focused really hard, she could feel his heartbeat like that, she could even imagine that she was feeling what he felt. And in that moment she felt an outpouring of love, though she didn’t need that to know it was there. It just simply was.

Dad finally drew his head away and he ran his thumb over her cheek, saying, “Rivan told me you were waiting for them out here.”

“Huh?” Nami grunted, feeling her heart beginning to race. “I-no, I just came out here because...um…”

“Nami,” Dad whispered sweetly. His smile was so handsome, “It’s okay to miss them, to wish for their guidance. Your mother and father, they loved you so very much and they would want nothing more for you than the life you have now. But they still would have loved to have been a part of your life as your parents for longer. You are just as much their daughter as you are mine, and it is perfectly alright to long for them, especially in times of need.”

Nami felt tears pooling in her eyes again but she was spent of all her energy to actually cry. “I just didn’t know what else to do…” she admitted finally, rubbing her hands over her eyes.

“I know, sweetie,” Dad pulled her into one more hug for good measure. “And I’m so sorry I worried you.”

“It’s okay,” Nami said, feeling her tail give a little sway. “Is Link okay?”

“Well, I say this is a good time for us to see about that question, hmm?” Dad asked, and Nami nodded her head smiling. Dad stood up, giving a playful little spin with her in his arms and she couldn’t help but let out a giggle. “Ah, there’s that sweet sound I’ve longed for!”

As they walked back to the infirmary, Nami rested her chin on Dad’s shoulder, deep in thought. “Hey, Dad?”

“Yes, my treasure?”

“Did my Mommy sing me that song?” she finally asked.

“I do believe she did,” Dad nodded. “It was a song that she would recite to herself from time to time when she was in the royal guard. It was such a familiar tune to me that I couldn’t help but to ask her about where she had heard it one day and she said it was a lullaby that her mother sang to her and that she had hoped to sing to her children one day.” 

“Wow,” Nami gasped, feeling her eyes grow heavy.  

“Minami,” Dad finally said, his pace slowing a bit. He adjusted Nami slightly in his arms to make her look him in the eye. His expression was warm, but still serious. “I should have asked this sooner but...I did not know your parents exceptionally well, but if you want to know more about them I would be happy to tell you the stories that I do have.” 

Nami felt her eyes trailing down to the whistle fastened on his collar, her fingers running along some of the medals and sashes he wore and earned over the years. She had never thought of that before. When she was really little all her caretakers did was talk about how great her parents were but…none of them really knew them. Not the way she did. Or...at least her parents of those stories weren’t the parents that she knew in her fleeting memories. Nami felt herself frowning as she shook her head. “I don’t think so...at least not right now. It’d just make me sad, I think.” 

“Alright,” Dad nodded his head with a smile, “I just wanted to be sure.” 

“Dad?” 

“Yes, honey?”

“Is it bad that I don’t really want to know about them?”

“Not at all, Nami,” he said. “That’s perfectly alright.”

“Mmkay,” Nami sighed in content, resuming her comfortable perch with her chin on his shoulder. And then another thought struck her. “Hey, Dad?”

Dad was shaking slightly with laughter, apparently amused by her number of questions. “Yes?” 

“Where did _you_ learn that song?”

“I learned it from my mother,” Dad said simply. “It was a lullaby that her mother passed down as well. It’s actually an ancient song passed down only to children of her clan. But as time passed her clan either dispersed and intermarried or were killed in battle. She was the last purebred Shark Zora of that family and unfortunately our genealogical records aren’t good enough for us to dive back into that, or other past clans’, rich culture and history and find its descendants. But it is said that members of the great family who protected the Crown from the shadows still pass that song down to their young today.”

“But...my mom knew that song, and if your Mom knew that song...” Nami mused out loud, her tail beginning to wag and she watched as Dad’s tail blew a little breeze as it wagged in tandem as well.

Dad planted a kiss on the side of her head. “If I were to take a guess I’d dare say we might be kin after all. At least distantly.”

Nami giggled and closed her eyes, “That makes me happy, Daddy!”

“I’m glad,” Dad hummed. “It makes me very happy too.”

“Hey Dad?”

“Yes, Minami?”

“...You’re a really good singer.”

“Why thank you, sweetheart.” 

“Could...you maybe sing that to me more often?”

“I would love to.”

 

* * *

 

 

Link’s eyes had grown heavy but his mind was still racing and he couldn’t go to sleep, no matter how much the healers insisted he at least try. But then a small knock on the door came and an old Zora woman poked her head in, “Master Link? Are you awake?”

Link lifted his head and gave her a wave. She nodded and continued, “I know it’s late, but you have some rather insistent visitors. Would you want to see them or shall I send them off?”

“I’ll see them,” Link signed, not one hundred percent sure if the woman knew the language when she nodded her head and closed the door again, but too exhausted to really care. He leaned back against the pillow and started counting the cracks in the stone ceiling when another knock came at the door, but he nearly shot out of his bed when it was Sidon that poked his head in.

“S-Sidon!” Link gasped, his ears immediately heating up. “I--”

“Link,” Sidon’s voice was soft and his eyes looked tired and puffy, as if he had been crying though the rest of the evidence was long gone. When he entered the room and revealed little Nami in tow, she lifted her head and Link frowned. The poor thing looked even worse.

To make Link’s heart break even more when her eyes met his, those precious golden eyes started welling up with even more tears.

“Hey,” Link whispered, holding his arms out for her. Sidon smiled and gently set Nami down on Link’s lap and the girl started sniffling and rubbing her eyes as her gills puffed out and she let out a few whimpers. “I’m okay.”

“I’m sorry,” she finally croaked. Link just about wanted to cry for the kid she looked so sad and he couldn’t help himself but pull her into the tightest hug he could manage. He did, however, go into the hug a little too tightly and a little too quickly because the next thing he knew he lost his balance and fell back onto the bed with a grunt, pulling Nami down with him. Nami let out a little yelp and froze, but the Hylian rolled with it. Mimicking what he had seen Sidon do, he nuzzled the top of her head with his nose and peppered her with kisses, rocking his body side to side a little bit just to ham it up until he heard those sweet giggles that could make his whole day.

“Poor Minami has been all out of sorts because of how upset we got,” Sidon finally offered, reaching forward to run his hand along her tail. Nami turned her head slightly to look up at him, revealing bright eyes, but Link grinned to himself, determined not to let her go.

She seemed pretty content where she was anyway, so.

“Awww,” Link gave her another kiss. “I’m sorry.”

Nami lifted her head and gave Link a bit of a pouty look. “It’s all my fault you’re here.”

Link simply grinned to himself, looked to Sidon as a cue for him to translate, before signing, “No, I’m here because I forgot to eat for three days.”

“Whaaat!?” Nami reared her head back, almost appalled. “But-but Link! You said that eating is super important and good for your body and if you don’t eat properly you’ll get sick!”

“Yeah,” Link laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. “Silly me.” 

“That’s not silly, that’s bad for you!” Nami scolded, her look just as stern but not nearly as ferocious as Sidon’s could be (at least not yet). Link couldn’t help but laugh and hug her more and nuzzle her again she was too cute. He glanced up at Sidon who was wearing an equally large grin, his handsome chuckles escaping him.

“You’re soooo good!” Link growled playfully before he blew a raspberry. Nami’s giggles only escalated into shrieks from there before she calmed down again. Once she did she wriggled slightly in Link’s arms and he let go of her thinking she wanted to get up. Instead, she adjusted herself so her head was tucked neatly on his chest, under his chin and just to the side enough so that when she turned to her side her forehead fit perfectly around the junction between his neck and shoulder. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes.

“I’m tired,” she mumbled finally. Link stared down at the girl, not entirely sure of her next move. He glanced up at Sidon, searching for his cue but Sidon seemed to have the same blank face as he did. So...with a sigh, Link dared to rest his arm along the girl’s back, holding her close. He gazed upon her sweet little face for several minutes and he found himself using his free hand to gently trace little lines back and forth across her forehead as the girl’s breathing slowed down a little.

“Oh, she does love you, Link,” Sidon said softly, tearing the Hylian’s attention away from her. He looked up at the prince who had a huge smile on his face, his eyes absolutely twinkling with wonder as he watched them. “She was so worried about you.”

Link took a breath, testing his voice, and he found it surprisingly easy to speak to Sidon, “It seems she was worried about you too.”

“I think our foolishness did a number on that poor thing,” Sidon finally admitted. Link snorted up a laugh and Sidon glanced downward, trying to contain his laughter. “We really are pathetic aren’t we?”

“I dunno, man” Link chortled, “At least you aren’t the one who collapsed in front of your father!”

“That’s why I said ‘we’, no simply ‘me’,” Sidon snickered, covering his face. “But oh, Goddesses, Link, if you only knew the mayhem I managed to cause tonight you would have no doubt in your mind that I was the bigger mess currently.”

“Oh really?” Link asked, raising a brow. “Do tell.”

“No,” Sidon finally shook his head, biting his lip, “That’s a story for another day.”

“Oh, fine,” Link smirked, trying to inch down the bed and settle into a comfortable sleeping position with the Zora child laying on top of him.

Sidon watched him for a moment before he held his hands out and offered, “Do you want me to take her? You must be exhausted.”

“No,” Link shook his head, almost whining. “I don’t mind you guys staying for a little bit; besides she just fell asleep I don’t want to disturb her.”

“Suit yourself,” Sidon grinned, leaning forward to rest his head in his hands, his elbow propped up on the bed. His eyes drifted over to his daughter, and Link just felt his chest swelling at how beautiful that soft look he could get was. Link finally dropped his free hand onto the bed, not fully aware of how close it landed to the Zora’s until he felt fingers gently brushing up against it seeking an invitation.

Taking a breath and hoping his nerves wouldn’t spike and cause him to lose consciousness for the second time that day, Link crawled his fingers forward until they found Sidon’s hand to hold onto. Unlike the first time, he dared to look down at Sidon and caught him staring up at Link. The Zora’s eyes flitted down immediately to their hands, and he turned his palm up and slid it so that Link could hold onto him comfortably. He didn’t settle his hand right away; instead, the Hylian found himself gently tracing the lines of his palm, prodding the webbing between his fingers that helped the prince move so swiftly in the water, rubbed his thumb along the smooth scales which so remarkably contrasted his rough and calloused skin. Link heard Sidon chuckle softly when Link’s hand finally did wrap his fingers around him, and Sidon closed his hand, engulfing the Hylian’s.

“Link…” Sidon started, but he let out a long breath and when Link looked down at him he could see the exhaustion overcoming his beautiful features, the words he wanted to say caught in his throat.

“Don’t go passing out on me now,” Link mumbled in a sad attempt to ease the tension, though he still get a smile from the Zora.

“That’s funny of you to say from a hospital bed,” Sidon quipped, flashing a teasing grin. “But...there is much I wish to say to you and yet...I don’t quite know how…”

“Hey,” Link squeezed Sidon’s hand tightly. “I think we safely established that our sanity can survive a day like today, let’s not push the envelope even more.”

Link had expected something along the lines of a “you are very right, my friend” or a smart aleck joke back, but instead, in the smallest voice ever, Sidon carefully asked, “But...can our friendship?”

Link lifted his head a little and gave Sidon a small glare, “Of _course_ it can, you dolt. I’m the one that made a bigger ass of myself, I’m pretty sure I should be the one asking that question.” 

“Link, I can assure you that there is nothing you could do that would make me ever think ill of you,” Sidon said gently. “You are much too important to me.”

“Well,” Link looked down at their hands, feeling pretty certain that if there was any time to say it, now with their fingers laced together and his daughter resting on his chest was probably a perfect one. And yet still… “The feelings are mutual.”

“I am grateful,” Sidon nodded. And for a moment, the Zora’s eyes slipped closed and he sighed in content. Link took the moment to calm his racing heart and he took a deep breath. Upon his exhale, he suddenly felt a soft vibration that caused his eyes to snap open.

When Link looked down, he stared down at Nami as he could now hear her purrs and he felt a large smile spread along his face. Giving her head another nuzzle with his nose, Link gently caressed her little shoulders and her tail. Nami tucked her head against Link a little more and then, to his surprise, she let out the smallest, cutest little trill he had ever heard in his life.

Unable to contain his smile Link turned his head to look at Sidon whose eyes were now wide open and staring at the girl, having heard the sound as well.

“Link, I--” Sidon started to say, but then he shook his head and chuckled, “I’d be careful now. I dare say she’s trying to imprint on you.”

“Imprint--” Link echoed, his eyes darting back down at the girl. “Can...she do that? I’m a Hylian.”

“Well, I wasn’t certain until now but it looks like it,” Sidon watched the two of them for a moment and Nami let out another trill. His grin widened. “I didn’t realize young Zora could trill like that when they were imprinting because that usually happens when they’re asleep. But...I heard it on several occasions myself when she imprinted on me yet didn’t realize that’s what it was until later when I was talking to other parents.”

“So...what would that mean?” Link asked.

“Well, cognitively, nothing would change of course,” Sidon shrugged. “But instinctively, I don’t know if you would experience this change but basically she would begin to see you as another parent.”

“Another…” Link found himself trailing off, in awe. He blinked several times as the information sunk in. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, this information was all very familiar to him, and he remembered Sidon referencing such a thing before when he first took the child in. But the reality that he could allow the girl to do this started to sink in. He doubted the feeling was as strong for him as it had been for Sidon, but he couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder as he stared at the girl, not wanting to let her go ever again. 

Sidon shifted nervously in his chair, “I can take her if you’d rather--”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Link cut him off. He then glanced up at the shocked expression on Sidon’s face and flinched. “I-I mean...if...you’re okay with something like this...happening.” 

Sidon’s look softened again, threatening to send his heart flying. But as Link met his eyes, he realized that that soft, warm look was being directed at _him_ and the Hylian felt as if his heart would just take off into space.

“Link…” Sidon looked down at their still intertwined hands. His breath caught in his throat a few times and he finally shook his head, laughing. “I can’t believe I am doing this in the exact opposite order that I should be but...Nami adores you.”

“You’ve told me,” Link muttered, unable to wipe the stupid grin off his face. 

“And...she’s been longing for me to...well, she’s been longing for another parent in her life,” Sidon bobbed his head a little as he spoke. Another breath and he finally asked, “If you’re willing to let her imprint on you...would you...be willing to consider yourself her other father?”

The question was so simple and it likely masked so many more that the Zora prince had. All the possibilities behind it made Link feel lighter than air, but instead of dizzying himself from that, he just smiled at the wonderful thought presented to him and said, “I thought I already was.” 

Sidon’s eyes were wet as he coughed up a laugh and looked back down at their hands. And then, as if he wanted Link to faint all over again that day, he sat up fully running his free hand down Link’s for arm and bicep, lifting the Hylian’s hand and pressing it to his lips in a simple, sweet kiss. He continued rubbing Link’s arm gently as he leaned his cheek against the back of Link’s still entrapped hand. Finally, Sidon heaved a sigh and looked down at Link, stopping the rubbing of his arm to cup his face in his hand, “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Feeling so _safe_ and so _warm_ just being near Sidon, Link breathlessly muttered, “Please tell me that means you’re staying the night with me.”

“I’ll never leave your side, Link,” Sidon whispered gently. “No matter what, I can always promise you that.”

Link _really_ should have dropped the three simple words that would finally define their relationship for the love of all that was good, but in that moment he was too engulfed in Sidon’s warm and indescript feelings (which Link _probably_ knew what they were if he actually put his mind to use) to do anymore than close his eyes and fall into a deep, peaceful slumber.

At the very least, he hoped that Sidon knew _just how_ important he was to Link, considering that the Hylian had been able to carry out that entire conversation with ease; for the first time in his adult life he hadn’t even thought about falling back on his hands to communicate his thoughts (...while in a sound state of mind). And the feeling of knowing that alone was simply…

 Well, it was sweeter than anything he could think of, really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tfw when you become co-parents with your crush before you even become boyfriends. And your sister is still risen from the dead waiting for you to get your shit together.


	27. The Best Plan Ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon still doesn't quite know how to confront Link directly about his feelings. 
> 
> And then Mei gives him an idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after way too long of not updating because I
> 
> Had family over to celebrate the Fourth of July  
> Drove back home from Texas  
> Got asked out on a date  
> Went on said date and had the time of my life  
> Planned date two  
> Did a whole lot of adulting to try and make a dent in my adult checklist before the school (aka work) year starts
> 
> I can proudly say that I just cranked out 18 pages for y'all to makeup for my absence.

The next day, both Link and Nami were too exhausted for Sidon to leave their side in good conscience. Link was just...completely out of sorts even after a full night’s sleep to the point that Sidon wondered if there was something else going on considering that he had left the Hylian in Hateno in good spirits. Or at least he thought he had. 

Clearly he hadn’t. 

Little miss Minami, on the other hand, didn’t appear overly tired but she was definitely emotionally drained and showing signs of fighting off a coming illness. Sidon, though equally drained, was used to operating while exhausted and wasn’t nearly as rough as Link was. 

“Sidon, I really need to go see what Zelda is up to,” Link protested, signing while he sat up. Sidon pushed the man down onto his back with one hand while holding a whimpery Minami in his other.

“You don’t need to be going anywhere,” Sidon chided. He eyed Link’s pale cheeks and dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. He also tried not to think about the barely noticeable gauntness to his body after the last few days of not eating. Heaving a sigh, Sidon couldn’t help but run a hand up to brush the hair out of Link’s face. He dared to caress his cheek and tried to hide the way his heart swelled when Link leaned into his touch.

Still, the Hero of Hyrule was stubborn as ever. “But Zelda--”

“Zelda ordered you to rest of and regain your strength after yesterday’s escapades,” Sidon retorted. “If you’re really worried about her, I can go check on her on your behalf.”

“She should be at her hotel room,” Link started to sit up again, signing, “Right now, she’s--”

Sidon swiftly pushed Link back down again. “Later.”

Link gave a confused look, “What?”

“My daughter is miserably exhausted and her other father isn’t much better,” Sidon snarked, failing to bite back a smile at the word ‘father’. Link couldn’t help but beam at the phrase either, but still, the Zora prince continued, “I’m not leaving until I feel better about how you two are doing.”

As if to only reaffirm his statement, Nami let out a little whine. Both men turned their attention to the little girl who was burying her head into Sidon’s chest. 

“Oh my sweet Princess, what is it?” Sidon asked.

“I don’t feel good,” Nami whimpered, lifting her hands to rub her eyes.

“Aww,” Sidon rested his chin on the top of Nami’s head and holding her close while he let out a soothing purr. Link also reached up and patted her back. Hiccuping, Nami let out another whimper and when she turned her head again, Sidon could see little tear droplets hanging from her eyes. Instinctively, Sidon rocked her gently and carefully leaned back upon Link’s prompting so he could set Nami in between them. Propping his head up in his hand, Sidon couldn’t help but smile as the little girl rolled over and curled up next to Link as close as possible. 

Seeking to be close to both of them, if Nami wasn’t leaned against one parent she had an arm outstretched stubbornly holding onto a sash or another article of clothing to keep the other close to her. Eventually she settled down when Link pulled her to lay on his chest like the night before and Sidon rubbed her back as he sang softly. But not only did his lullaby put Nami to sleep, when Sidon looked up Link was out as well, snoring. 

Running a hand along Minami’s tail, Sidon couldn’t help but frown as he trailed down and took hold of Link’s hand. Despite how at peace he felt, Sidon couldn’t help but frown.

Only they could manage to become parents together before actually becoming a couple. 

Sighing heavily, Sidon placed a small kiss on Nami’s head and, with a very deep breath, dared to place a kiss on the top of Link’s as well. The Hylian didn’t budge but instead smiled slightly in his slumber, sending the prince’s heart flying.

Prince Sidon knew he needed to keep his word and see if Princess Zelda was in need of anything, but his heart was just so tangled and he was so flustered that he couldn’t help himself but nearly sprint up the stairs to the reservoir and swim as fast as he could carry himself through the water to inform Vah Ruta and Mipha that there was at least some - albeit minimal - progress. It would be a short visit, he told himself, no more than an hour and then he would check on Zelda. 

When he got to Ruta, however, Sidon quickly realized that maybe he didn’t need to check on Zelda separately. 

“Mipha, I--!” Sidon started, grinning ear to ear but he skidded to a halt and clamped his mouth shut when he saw the short Hylian woman wandering around the main console with her eyes buried in the sheikah slate. Mipha’s spirit hovered close by her, her eyes flitting back and forth from Sidon and Zelda. Sidon watched for a moment, not sure what to do but then to his amazement Zelda walked right through Mipha and the prince nearly felt his heart stop in his chest as her spirit dissipated like a mist as Zelda past, only to come together again looking a little disoriented.

Holding his breath, Sidon looked to Mipha who said, “She’s...been here all morning.”

“Ah,” Sidon nodded. He then looked to Zelda and cleared his throat to say, “Princess, is everything alright?”

The blonde woman nearly leapt out of her skin as she spun around, her eyes wide. “Oh! Prince Sidon! What are you doing here?”

Chuckling to himself, he smiled and stepped forward, “Well, as the Champion I decided to slip away and check on Ruta while Link and Nami are sleeping.”

“Oh,” Zelda glanced down, staring at the slate. “Right, of course.” 

Sidon pursed his lips at that. “Zelda, is everything alright? You appear rather distracted.”

“I’m fine,” Zelda waved him off. She turned her back to him, facing the console, and then she heaved a sigh. After a pause she muttered, “I didn’t give you much of a choice in this, did I…”

That took Sidon by surprise. “Pardon?”

“It’s as you said,” Zelda said sadly, and as Sidon moved to stand next to her, he could see her deep set frown as she rubbed a hand along the console. “This place is the tomb that took your sister. And I forced you to step up as the Champion.”

“I would hardly use ‘force’ as the proper term to describe it,” Sidon said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Zelda didn’t even meet his gaze. Not quite certain what had gotten into her or if he had ever seen her like this before, he continued, “As a young boy my sister once told me that Ruta chooses those who have the resolve of a Champion, and I had the honor of being among those few.”

At that, Sidon caught a glimpse of the princess’s green eyes peering up at him so he continued, “And while it is true that I once thought of Ruta in a similar regard, as we’ve come to understand one another I have realized that they are hardly a tomb. Built by people yes, but Ruta is still a being with a will and, dare I say it a soul. Losing Mipha hurt this divine beast just as much as it wounded me and my people. They’ve lost so much, and yet they were met with malice from the one they had trusted to be the next pilot at first. But they are a gentle creature, and I have come to admire Vah Ruta very much.”

“Is that so?” Zelda asked, looking upwards. As if they were listening, Ruta gave a small trumpet. Sidon chuckled at that. 

“Indeed,” Sidon nodded. “So don’t consume yourself with regret, Princess. I may have been resistant to the idea at first, but in the long run I dare say that your actions have done nothing but utmost good for myself and my people.”

At that, Zelda ducked her head down again and asked dryly, “...even telling your father about Link?”

Just over a year ago, Sidon would not have known how to speak to Zelda at all, much less in a moment of vulnerability and guilt like this. But being a father must’ve really rubbed off on him because his knee-jerk response was a statement that he found himself asking Nami on her glum days: “Is that what this is about?”

He kind of wanted to kick himself because his reaction that followed the tearful gaze upwards was not one to be giving to the dignified heir to Hyrule’s throne. Nevertheless, Sidon found himself kneeling down to be closer to eye level with the princess and placing a hand on each of her shoulders, smiling. “Now, Zelda, I assure you that you’ve done no harm. Your intentions were nothing but the best for us and...in all honesty if you hadn’t summoned for Link he’d probably still be laying face-first on the floor of his house right now.” 

Zelda gave the smallest hint of a chuckle before she scoffed and stepped away from Prince Sidon, crossing her arms. Sidon flinched a little, preparing for her to give a snarky remark about how she shouldn’t be spoken down to (which he probably had earned and would not have blamed her for) but instead she sighed heavily and said, “I...I just want him to be happy, you know?”

Sidon glanced down, frowning. “I couldn’t agree more, Princess.”

Zelda hastily wiped the palm of her hand over her eye as she disguised the beginnings of a sob with a scoffing noise. “I just...I want nothing but the best and then when I see him torturing himself over his feelings and there was nothing I could do--”

Zelda stopped abruptly, snapping her jaw shut. Her lip barely quivered and even so Sidon couldn’t help but feel that distinct gnawing feeling chewing at his gut as a thought that hadn’t crept into his mind since he adopted Nami returned. “Princess,” Sidon could not believe he was asking this. “I don’t mean to pry but...do you...have feelings for Link?”

Zelda gave a huff and placed her hands on her hips, saying nothing. 

Sidon felt his heart drop out of his body completely. 

Behind him, he heard Mipha give a sad, “Oh, Zelda…”

It took every ounce of willpower for Sidon to keep from making like Link and dropping a series of curses. 

Well shit. 

Now he felt real bad. 

“Zelda,” Sidon drummed his fingers on his knees, “Listen, I didn’t mean to--I meant no disrespect towards your own feelings I had no idea--”

“I told myself I could marry him,” Zelda finally snapped, her eyes closed shut and her voice firm. “That’s what everyone said: my father, my advisors, even  _ Urbosa _ …”

Sidon glanced quickly over at Mipha for clarification and with the saddest look in her eyes, she responded, “The Gerudo Champion of a hundred years ago. She and the Princess were very close.”

Nodding subtly, Sidon turned his attention back to Zelda who continued, “They all said the same thing. ‘He’s a strong warrior, would father strong children. He’s caring and kind and a wonderful cook and if you just gave him a chance and managed to win his heart he’d be the best husband to you.’ I didn’t want to believe it or even think about that until Urbosa suggested it. After all, why should a Princess follow what’s in her heart when her duty is to her people? There’s an image the royalty must keep, you know.”

Taking the deepest breath, Sidon tried to push back the sick bell of familiarity Zelda’s words rang. He rose to his feet and walked forward to stand next to where Zelda now stood looking out from Vah Ruta to the view of the reservoir and the Domain below. Daring to speak, Sidon wondered out loud, “You were willing to sacrifice your feelings for Lady Urbosa to marry the Hero, is that right?”

Gritting her teeth, Zelda didn’t try to disguise her sob this time.

“Oh my gosh,” Sidon placed his hand on her shoulder, “Zelda, I am so--”

“The heir to the throne was already nothing but a failure, how could I have proven them all right just because I couldn’t even fulfill the most basic requirement of a monarch?” Zelda asked with the bitterest smile. As much as Sidon wanted to assure her how not at all true that statement was, how wrong those people were to speak that of one of the most competent rulers of Hyrule that his father had known during his time as king. And yet…

Sidon’s hand fell from her shoulder and he looked out to the Domain, trying to hide the strain that his own heavy heart caused him. 

“And in a world where love like ours is just...laughed at and written off as blasphemy only a Gerudo would dare commit, no matter how respectable that race is,” Sidon said in a low voice, looking down. “I’m not even the rightful heir and I still heard those whispers when I was a child. And when my sister passed…in my head I was always just ‘find a nice young woman, treat her the way she deserves to be, have a child with her, dedicate yourself to being a father and learn to love your wife through them, go through the motions, come on you can do it it’s for your  _ people _ .’ What an awful set of thoughts, aren’t they?”

“‘You’re already a failure as a princess don’t destroy your family’s legacy by letting it end with you,’” Zelda spat. “‘Just get over it, this isn’t about you, don’t be so selfish!’”

“‘You’re already too brash, too blunt, too abrasive, too positive, too goofy,’” Sidon wasn’t sure if continuing on like this was a good idea, but as much as the anger was boiling up inside him, it just felt  _ so good _ to let it all out in the company of someone who understood. “Shark Zora have no place in the royal family, the elders already hate you and consider you a shame to the throne. Stop being so infatuated with Hylians your place is in the Domain not out being reckless in the outside world with your head in the clouds.’”

“‘Get out of the desert, no one wants a princess with sand in her shoes and a tan on her skin!’”

“‘How dare you make a mockery of your people! You may not be the  _ real _ heir but you can’t keep going around daydreaming about the wrong person. You’ve already disappointed everyone don’t just add to the pile and be...be…”

“Gay,” Zelda spat, her knuckles were white as they gripped the railing. Sidon hadn’t realized he was shaking with self-loathing until he let out the breath he had been holding. Zelda heaved and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Prince Sidon...I didn’t mean to--”

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Sidon said in a low voice. “I think...I think we both share similar sentiments regarding our respective situations. As upset as it makes me to think about it...it’s nice having someone who understands.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Zelda nodded. With a sigh, she leaned against Sidon’s arm and closed her eyes. “But Sidon...when Link told me about you...I just. I had the  _ worst nightmares _ about the whole thing. In my head I kept worrying that you two would just let this continue and you’d go about your lives awkwardly dancing around the issue and destroying yourselves over it. And that one day either this or time would kill one of you, leaving the other to go on alone and miserable and constantly wondering what if and--”

“Zelda,” Sidon stopped the princess before she could spiral out of control in her own grief. “I did not know Lady Urbosa but I can guarantee that as your friend and the Gerudo Champion she knew the weight that was on your shoulders.”

“Yes, I know, it’s just,” Zelda shook her head, not sure how to continue. 

Sidon felt a small hand on the small of his back, and looking behind him slightly, he found Mipha standing beside him and his heart sank when he saw the tears in her eyes. “If I had known this was how you two felt...Lady Urbosa loved Zelda with all her heart...Sidon please tell her that.”

Slowly, Sidon reached behind him and took hold of Mipha’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and taking care to ensure Zelda did not notice his odd movements. Looking down at her he wrapped his arm around the Hylian princess and said, “My sister once told me about the brave and kind Gerudo Champion. She was the chief as well, was she not?”

Zelda nodded her head. 

“A remarkable woman,” Sidon nodded his head. “And...if my memory serves me right, I do recall Mipha telling me stories of how much the Lady Urbosa loved the Princess of Hyrule, and how she knew that the feelings were returned despite the fact that a birthright stood in the way of their relationship. She would want nothing but for you to be able to move on and find peace and happiness, whatever that means for you. But please know that you were so very loved and that I am sure that...even now I’m certain that she watches over you in spirit.”

Zelda was very silent for a few moments as she wiped furiously at her eyes with one hand before she sniffled and said, “Thank you, Prince Sidon.”

“Of course,” Sidon gave Zelda’s shoulders another squeeze and he smiled. “It’s the least I can do for a dear friend.”

Zelda looked up at Sidon with the mildest hint of surprise in her gaze. But after a moment she smiled brightly and said, “You really are a true friend. I’m grateful that you consider me as such.”

Sidon simply chuckled, and after another squeeze he released Zelda, figuring he needed to at least ask her what she was checking on Ruta for or if she was just using the task as a bit of a mental escape, but the princess beat him to the questions: “So! Have you and Link made any...progress?”

The playful glint in her eyes returned before Sidon had time to process and before he knew it Mipha’s spirit was also hovering playfully at Zelda’s side. Sidon’s eyes darted between the two of them and he didn’t know what it was about the women in his life and their ability to flip emotions like a light switch but dear sweet Hylia he could not keep up for the life of him. 

“Um…” Sidon grunted.

Zelda’s smile fell and Mipha smacked her hand to her face, asking, “Please tell me you’ve at least spoken to Link about last night?”

“We…” Sidon cleared his throat. “We...uh...well...Link agreed to be Minami’s other father! We’re co-parents now!”

He grinned like an idiot as if that somehow made their situation any less complicated. Zelda leaned backwards slightly, her mouth falling open as she tried and failed several times to process what he said before finally asking, “So...you’re going about courtship backwards?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve agreed to be parents together,” Zelda pointed indignantly at Sidon, “But...you haven’t even asked to court him.”

Sidon could only fold his hands together and purse his lips, rocking back and forth on his feet slightly. “I’m...giving him a chance to recover from yesterday before probing him with  _ those _ questions.”

“So you asked him to be a father to your child but you can’t ask him on a date!?” Zelda shrieked, her hands flailing out on either side of her, one of which catching Mipha in the head and causing her spirit to dissipate a little. When her form came back together she shook her head and gave a little grunt, pushing against Zelda’s hand slightly.

“Please stop doing that,” she groaned, but if Zelda heard her as she huffed and brought her arms back tightly to her sides, Sidon couldn’t be sure. 

Not sure how else to explain himself and his apparent lack of logic, he defended, “Nami fell asleep and started imprinting on him! What was I supposed to do? Prevent the inevitable?”

“You had the perfect opportunity to ask him out and you dodged it to the extreme!” Zelda chided. “Sidon, come on! Your behavior must have your sister rolling over in her grave right now!” 

Annoyed, Sidon covered his face with his hands and muttered, “No, my behavior just raised my sister from the dead is what it did…”

“What?”

“Nothing!” 

“Look, Sidon,” Zelda closed her eyes and let out a sigh before she reached up and tugged on the prince’s arm before he uncovered his face and allowed lowered them until she could reach and steal his hand. Holding onto it tightly with her own small ones, she pleaded, “As I said before, all I want for you two is your happiness. You aren’t bound to those old demons anymore. You have your father’s support. You have a daughter that adores you and will make her people proud. And it seems to me that you even have a bit of closure in regards to your sister. Just...do yourself a favor and don’t make this more complicated for yourself, Sidon. Please?”

Sighing heavily, Sidon managed a smile and nodded, “I will do my best.”

“Thank you,” Zelda gave Sidon’s hand another squeeze before she finally let go. And after a few more words, the princess was off to return to the Domain, leaving Sidon alone. 

With his sister’s spirit.

The minute she was out of earshot, the Zora prince spun around and dropped into a rather undignified squat as he faced his sister, “So, I--”

“You’re an idiot,” Mipha said simply, crossing her arms. Her expression was blank but she sighed. “I love you, but when it comes to romance I have never seen a denser brick than you.”

As if to add insult to injury, Ruta trumpeted in agreement.

Crossing his own arms and scuffing his foot against the ground Sidon mumbled, “You know I thought you would be proud of me for making progress.”

“I am proud of you but I don’t think you realize how much more difficult you made this for yourself.”

“How so?”

“Hmmm,” Mipha rolled her eyes as she sassed, “Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps that now you can call each other ‘co-parents’ or whatever that’s supposed to be, you’ll get to see more of Link and you two can continue being affectionate with each other while still being able to ignore and deny any questions that get thrown your way about your relationship until the answer to the question becomes more convoluted and confusing and just freezes you in place even worse than you already are.”

“Well!” Sidon raised his hand to protest but found that...as much as he hated to admit it, Mipha was right. “I’ll...I’ll talk to him tomorrow when he’s feeling better! And then I’ll bring Nami by so you can meet her and your spirit can finally be free again!”

His sister shook her head, giving a smile, “Do not do this for my sake, my little brother. I am here to help you find  _ your _ happiness. No one else’s. But yes, please introduce me to my niece and  _ please _ for your own sanity say something to Link.”

With the courage of a thousand suns, Sidon hugged his sister and proclaimed to her that tomorrow for sure he would finally enter a romantic relationship with the man of his dreams. 

  
  


When tomorrow came around, however, Sidon did just as his sister predicted he would and dodged every single question that was thrown at him in regards to Link. They walked through the Domain on a morning stroll, with Minami skipping in between them holding hands. As if on a mission to expose them, Minami broke away to leap into Bazz’s arms when they passed him. 

“Bazz!” Nami cheered. “I have two dads!”

“Ohhhh!” Bazz gave a really surprised, really confused look to the girl before he looked up at Link and Sidon in shock. Link’s mentee and Sidon’s mentor was... _ not _ really the first person Sidon would have wanted Nami to expose their secret to. “I didn’t realize that Prince Sidon was...in a….relationship?”

“Uh…” Link grunted.

“We’re just co-parenting!” Sidon blurted nervously. He stiffened when Bazz looked up and gave his prince a wary look. 

“Co...parenting?” he asked. “What...pardon me, Prince Sidon but just what the hell is that?”

Sidon honestly couldn’t say what haphazard response he eventually gave to get the captain to nod, send Nami back on her way and wander off, but he did know for a fact that it wasn’t just Bazz present that overheard his outburst because Bazz was the only Zora in all of the Domain that actually kept tight-lipped about royal family matters and within an hour rumors were flying about the prince’s...love life. 

Or lack thereof. 

He was sitting by the fountain while Nami played with Tumbo and some other children whilst Link was away meeting with Zelda and his father. Normally, parents would have caught sight of Nami and then immediately sought Sidon out to catch him up on the latest gossip, but when he saw the huddle of women forming, tried not to see the eyes darting his direction, and noticed that no one was approaching him, it became apparent that  _ he _ was the latest gossip. 

On the off chance that he wasn’t and he was missing out on something good, Sidon heavily debated for a moment to stand up and go eavesdrop, but his opportunity passed when he watched the group of women disband so the prince returned his attention to the children at play. Keye and Laruta were gathered up by their mothers and happily skipped home, leaving Nami and Tumbo play wrestling. 

Sidon tilted his head, and just as he wondered where she ran off to, Mei took a seat right next to him and announced, “So the mystery is solved, I see.”

Sidon jumped a little eyeing the woman’s chipper expression, “What mystery?”

“Why you don’t date,” Mei grinned. “Word has it that Princess Minami has two dads.”

“Oh, well, yes,” Sidon looked down at the ground. “With his frequency of visits Nami wound up imprinting on Link and he has always wanted to be a bigger part in her life. I had considered asking him to be her godfather at first but we agreed that it might be better for her if we were co-parents.”

“Prince Sidon,” Mei said in a dry voice. She didn't’ say any further until Sidon looked up at her to find her batting her golden eyes and with a smirk she said, “Just say it, Link’s that special someone isn’t he.”

“I--” Sidon grunted before looking away. When he didn’t answer, Mei egged him on by elbowing him playfully and when he finally nodded she gave a small cheer and patted him on the back. A little confused, Sidon looked up to her and asked, “I don’t mean to be rude but...I always assumed most people would have an issue with this fact.”

“Why?” Mei asked, looking surprised almost. “Because you’re gay?”

“Well yes,” Sidon nodded fervently. “It’s not widely accepted here and I don’t know about you but there aren’t really any other open Zora that I know of.”

“I know that,” Mei grinned, looking out to Tumbo and Nami. “And truth be told, for the longest time I  _ did _ have an issue.”

“Really,” Sidon sat up a little. “What changed?”

Mei heaved a long sigh, her eyes fixated on Tumbo and instead of answering him she said, “You know, a lot of kids in school would talk about you, Prince Sidon. Even now, our classmates have speculated about this for the longest time considering that most of us have started families of our own or even have children starting families and yet you, the  _ prince _ of all people have remained single and had your own child through adoption.”

“Oh, I heard the whispers, don’t you worry,” Sidon grumbled. “Among many others. But that’s to be expected when you’re a royal and a bachelor even at a hundred and sixteen.” 

“Yeah, I suppose,” Mei said. “But even then I would so adamantly insist that you weren’t gay that...the prince couldn’t be. And then Hylian women started coming in with Gerudo partners once Ganon was defeated and Hyrule in general just started being more open and accepting and...I really struggled with it. I even worried that the mindset would somehow leak into the Domain as if it were a plague.”

“And now?” Sidon asked.

Mei shook her head and shrugged. “When you’re a parent, you like to think that you know more about your children than they think you do, am I right?”

Sidon bit his lip, not entirely sure if he was that expert of a parent just yet but he still nodded his head in agreement. “I would say so.”

“Your daughter,” Mei said, “Has gotten Tumbo through more in this year alone than my husband and I could have ever hoped to get him through in this lifetime.”

“It is true that Minami is very fond of him,” Sidon nodded. “But as his parents, you and Fronk are very loving and good parents to--”

“Tumbo’s gay, Sidon,” Mei said in a low voice. Sidon drew in a breath, trying to keep his expression even and not certain if he should let on that he knew about this or if he should act surprised that she knew.

Instead, he let the woman continue, “He doesn’t know that I know, and he puts on a great face but...I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone into check on him and found him crying in his sleeping pool insisting that something is wrong with him. But he would get so mad at me when I’d find him upset because he’d say how he needed to be like Prince Sidon and stay positive and that if he did, then maybe one day everything would be okay and he’d be ‘right’. I didn’t know what he meant at first but Fronk figured it out.”

“Mei, I can assure you that as hard a thing as it is to go through there is nothing wrong with your son,” Sidon said gently, but Mei stopped him again and smiled. 

“I know,” she grinned. “I knew when I saw the way Tumbo would look at you.”

“Pardon?” Sidon reared his head back, causing the woman to chuckle. 

“Oh don’t worry, it’s just a harmless little crush,” Mei waved off. “To be honest, I didn’t know what to do about it at first but then...well, then one day Tumbo came home absolutely elated and he grabbed me and said, ‘Mom! Everything’s okay!’ and so I said, ‘well that’s great, honey. But what do you mean?’ and he looked at me and said with the biggest smile, ‘Nami says I can be just like Prince Sidon when I grow up. She says there’s nothing wrong with me and that I’m going to be okay!’ And he just continued on like that all night and that was the first time I saw my son so truly, genuinely happy in months. I had an epiphany then; I had been wondering if all the rumors about you had been true, that you really were gay. But then I thought to myself that if my son aspires to be like one of the most selfless, dignified leaders in our people’s history, and if that person makes being gay okay for Tumbo then there couldn’t possibly be anything wrong with that.”

As Mei spoke, she got a little wet in the eyes and she swallowed a few lumps in her throat and Sidon couldn’t help but look down and sigh. “This is...something I’ve wrestled with for a long time, Mei. It’s hard for even me to accept.”

“I know that,” Mei nodded. “But I also want you to know that there is a little boy whose life you changed for the better because of who you are and how honest you were with yourself and to your daughter. And you changed his parents way of thinking too. So for that, I can’t thank you enough.”

Sidon finally looked back up at Mei and he grinned, letting out a chuckle, “Thank you, Mei. You are a wonderful friend.”

“Just...don’t tell Tumbo that I know about his crush on you,” she teased, leaning against his shoulder slightly. Sidon burst out laughing at that. 

“I hadn’t even realized!” he chuckled. “But I’ll keep it to myself. I believe as far as Nami knows it’s another classmate or something.” 

“That boy,” Mei shook her head laughing. 

“He’s a good lad,” Sidon grinned. “And a great friend to Minami. If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to invite him over to play with her more often. I’d imagine he might need someone that understands what he’s going through to guide him.”

Mei looked deep into Sidon’s eyes as her smile broadened, “Fronk and I...we would love it if you did that. Thank you.”

“Of course,” Sidon grinned. The two shared a few laughs before Mei jumped suddenly.

“Oh! And I have something for you,” she announced, reaching into her satchel. Sidon looked at the woman in confusion as she pulled out the largest bass that Sidon had ever seen. Holding it out to him she grinned, “These are Staminoka Bass! You can find them in Lake Hylia!” 

Sidon jumped at that, “...Why...why thank you! But...Mei what are these for?”

“Well, call it an offering of inspiration for you,” Mei gave Sidon a mischievous grin, only confusing Sidon more. “Unless of course you and Link are already an item.”

“Oh heavens,” Sidon covered his face in his hands. “Not at all, unfortunately. I haven’t the slightest idea of what to say to him!”

“Well of course you don’t, you hopeless romantic!” Mei patted Sidon swiftly on the back, “That’s because you don’t say anything!”

“I don’t?” Sidon echoed.

“You said it yourself!” Mei teased, “Traditional courtship is beautiful and romantic and to go without the symbolism behind it would be a crime! Isn’t that what you said once?”

“Well, yes, but--”

“So  _ of course _ you don’t need to say anything to Link, you just need to find him the right fish and let the gesture speak for you!” Mei grinned, holding the bass in Sidon’s face. “That’s the whole point of traditional courtship, is it not? Woo him, Sidon. Being the Hero he’s a little well-traveled and probably seen it all, but if you were able to reel in one of these big boys  _ alive _ and in good health and presented it to him over a sunset on the banks of Lake Hylia? Why, there isn’t a person alive that would turn you down!” 

Sidon glanced at the bass, memorizing its colors and its scales for reference before a sly grin befell his features. Standing up, the prince puffed out his chest and said, “Mei, you’re a genius!”

“I do what I can,” Mei crossed her arms before she called out to Tumbo that it was time to head home for lunch. Keeping his promise that she would get to go up to Ruta that day, Sidon carried Nami on his shoulders up to the reservoir.

“So Tumbo and I were thinking of going to Mikaku Lake this weekend,” Nami mused as they reached Ruta and rode the platform up to the main halls within. 

“Uh-huh, and under whose supervision?” Sidon asked, setting her down on her own feet and taking hold of her hand. 

Minami gave a glare and whined, “But Daaaaaaad!”

“I’m not letting you travel that distance by yourself, sweetie,” Sidon chided. “One wrong turn and you’ll find yourself face to face with a Lynel that’s firing shock arrows at you.”

As if she just wanted to give him a heart attack, Nami did a little dance and cheerfully announced, “I could take him!”

“NO!” Sidon yelped with a little more panic in his voice than he intended, “When you’ve reached your adult height if you’ve somehow built up an immunity to electrical currents then you can take on that Lynel as much as you want. But until then you stay  _ far away _ from that mountain. And no going up to Mikaku Lake by yourself for goodness sakes.”

“Ugggh,” Nami leaned against his leg, nearly falling over when he stepped forward to enter Vah Ruta. Still, she held tightly onto his hand and skipped forward, chirping, “Hi, Ruta!”

Sidon chuckled, noting the small trumpet Ruta gave as it raised its trunk and shot water onto them. Nami giggled, dancing in the rainfall as Sidon shielded his eyes, unprepared for the soaking. When Ruta finally withdrew the playful attack, Nami’s scales were glittering in the sunlight that reached them with all the water that was dripping off of her. Sidon smiled then looked up behind Nami to find Mipha’s spirit standing there, covering her mouth with her hands. 

As Nami tried to shake the excess water off of her, Mipha couldn’t help but gasp, “Oh, Sidon, she’s beautiful.”

Sidon smiled, wishing he could give a less subtle response without startling the girl but before he could do anything, Nami stiffened and looked up. 

“What was that?” she asked with narrow eyes.

Exchanging a confused look with Mipha, Sidon asked, “What was what?”

“Can she hear me?” Mipha asked, cocking her head to the side.

Nami let out a shriek and spun around to face Mipha. Sidon instinctively lunged forward to hush her and assure her that she was fine as the girl pointed a shaking finger at his sister. “Whoooo!?”

With an equally alarmed expression, Mipha pointed at Nami and asked, “You...can see me?”

“She can  _ see you _ !?” Sidon guffawed, wrapping his arms around Nami who looked up and shrieked, “YOU CAN SEE HER!?”

“Oh goodness,” Sidon and Mipha simultaneously blurted. Taking control of the situation, Sidon gently caressed Nami’s tail and soothed her and said gently, “Minami, my dear sweet Minami, it would appear that a miracle has happened. There’s no need to be afraid.”

Nami nodded, her shaking subsiding and she took a tentative step towards Mipha. Mipha in response knelt down and smiled gently at the girl. “I’m merely a spirit and not everyone can see me but...it’s so wonderful to get to meet you, Little One.”

“You’re…” Nami took several more steps forward. “My aunt.”

The way Mipha’s face lit up both lifted Sidon’s heart in ways he never knew were possible and broke his heart at the same time.

While it was true that he could finally gush about his daughter to his sister and they could finally meet...this couldn’t remain a constant. And even if it did that would be because Sidon prolonged his relationship with Link for much too long and as a result would trap his sister in here when she had already suffered one hundred years too many as Ganon’s prisoner. 

Still, Nami ran into Mipha’s outstretched arms, letting out those sweet giggles he always longed to hear and he smiled at the way his sister’s and his daughter’s tails wagged as they hugged each other and laughed and excitedly chatted about every topic they could think of. Sidon sat across from them, patiently and just taking in the sight of Nami sitting in Mipha’s lap, Mipha stroking her tail even when the conversation finally turned back to him: “So Sidon, how did that talk with Link go?”

“I, uh,” Sidon chuckled nervously, but it was Minami that answered for him.

“He hasn’t said shit to Link!” the girl spat crossing her arms and seemingly immune to the shriek that came out of Sidon’s mouth in response.

“MINAMI!” he howled in distress.

“Well, you haven’t!” Nami protested. 

“That’s not--!” Sidon shook his head and smacked his hand to his face, “ _ Where _ did you learn that language from, young lady!?”

Nami shrugged, giving a blank stare and only stressing Sidon even more in response. Mipha shook her head and rolled her eyes a little, “My brother, you picked Link to be her other father I don’t know why you expected any different.”

“Yes but--” Sidon cut himself short, not really wanting to know the circumstances that led to an outburst from Link that was vocal enough for Nami to even pick up on his word choices. “Minami, I know Link tends to use those words like that but as the Zora  _ Princess _ , it is very important that you refrain from using such language to the best of your ability.”

Nami reclined in Mipha’s lap a little, humming in thought before she asked, “Does that mean that I can’t say fuck?”

“NO, YOU CANNOT SAY FUCK!” Sidon screamed, not realizing how distressed he must’ve looked or sounded until the girls across from him both flinched. 

“While I’m afraid to stress your father out even more,” Mipha offered after a long pause, looking down at Nami, “I’m still very curious to know why he hasn’t said anything to your other father just yet…”

With a pointed glare, Sidon normally would have withered under her stare and apologized for his incompetence but he was too excited about his epiphany to do so. Launching to his feet, Sidon prepared for the sales pitch of a lifetime and announced, “Why, Mipha, that’s because I’m not going to say anything!”

Mipha’s frown twisted into a scowl. “What.”

“Now hear me out--”

“ _ Sidon _ ! You can’t do that!”

“Now, Mipha--”

“I know I said not to worry about me last night but I can’t stay trapped here! Not even Zelda could see me! I just--! I don’t--!” Mipha’s eyes were widening and her tone of voice was twisting up into a state of panic that Sidon had only heard from himself before. Easing her distress, he held his hands out and urged her to listen.

“Now, now, my dear sister, I’m not going to leave you stranded here!” Sidon grinned. “What kind of brother would I be if I did that to you? What I meant to say was that I have a plan: I can’t speak to Link because, well, I have to romance him first!”

Sidon held his arms out in excitement, only to drop them a little despondently when he was met with blank stares.

His smile falling, Sidon simply stated, “I’m going to court him.”

At that, Nami’s tail started wagging so fast it phased through Mipha’s spirit somehow and she leapt off of her lap and into Sidon’s arms cheering, “That’s soooooo romantic!” 

“I know! Isn’t it?” Sidon laughed, lifting the girl over his head and spinning her around. “Don’t you two worry, I will set my sister’s spirit free and have a wedding to plan before any of us know it!”

“So...how exactly are you going to court him?” Mipha asked a little skeptically. 

With a stupid grin Sidon set Nami down and grabbed Mipha’s hands, lifting her up, off her feet and pulling her into a hug, “Why, traditionally of course!”

“But, Sidon--”

“I still have to speak with Father but I’m thinking Link and I can set out for Lake Hylia first thing in the morning,” Sidon rattled on excitedly. “It’ll be a bit of a journey, but so very worth it when I present to him one of the rare bass from the waters under the sunset.”

“Yes…” Mipha nodded a little more hesitantly than Sidon had expected and then caught him even more surprised when she asked, “Tell me, are you certain that Link is familiar with our customs?”

“Why wouldn’t he be?” Sidon asked absentmindedly. “He’s a lifelong friend of the Zora, is he not?”

“Well, yes but I’m not sure if he knows what Zora courting traditions are supposed to be, exactly,” Mipha noted. “It’s not like I told him anything about it other than the sapphire and engagement armor.”

“Oh, Mipha,” Sidon giggled, stooping down to nuzzle her forehead, “It’s going to be fine! He’s close with Bazz and Rivan and all of them, I’m certain they’ve recounted tales of their own courtships!” 

“If you say so,” Mipha shrugged. She took another deep breath and gave an almost forceful smile, “I think that’s a fine idea...to start with.”

“Yaaaay! My dad’s are going to court!” Nami cheered, bouncing up and down excitedly. “I can’t wait to tell Grandpa!” 

Sidon chuckled as he bent forward to lift Nami into his arms and wrap his free arm around Mipha into a tight hug. His heart felt so full and he was so excited for his trip with Link he couldn’t see how his plan could possibly fail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly, nothing can go wrong. 
> 
> (Why Nami can see Mipha I will get into in coming chapters. All will be explained!)


	28. One Fish, Two Fish, Dead Fish...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ....confused Sidon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now it begins...
> 
> Y'all aren't ready.
> 
> And also, I've read all of your comments from last chapter, my apologies for not responding to them yet but all I can just say to your predictions is just...yes. 
> 
> Absolutely.
> 
> Get ready fam. It's gonna be a shit show.

Nami was very adamant about telling her Grandpa about Sidon’s plans when they returned to the domain, and as much as it pained Sidon, Mipha somehow managed to convince the girl that informing the king about her spirit’s return might not...have been the best of ideas. 

“He’s dealt with his grief and he’s healing,” Mipha had said. “I can sense that from Father even now. I wouldn’t want him to see me in this state and go back several steps.”

Nami had been staring up at Mipha with wide eyes and hesitantly asked, “Would that make Grandpa sad?”

The term ‘grandpa’ visibly caught Mipha by surprise, and the reaction was...it was painfully bittersweet. She turned back to Nami and cupped the little girl’s cheek with her hand as she explained, “Yes, I think it would make him very sad. Plus, I don’t think he would be able to see me.”

“But I can see you,” Nami noted. “And so can Daddy.”

Nuzzling Nami’s forehead with her own, Mipha explained, “Sidon--I mean your Daddy can see me because his journey for closure and his feelings for Link woke me up. Now...I’m not certain as to why you can see me, Minami…”

“Hmmm,” Nami contemplatively tapped her finger to her chin. “Maybe it’s because you gave me your healing? I saw you then too!” 

Mipha blinked several times at that, apparently very surprised by the statement. She then glanced up at Sidon and shrugged before adding, “Please don’t tell Father. As much as I want to see him, I don’t want to inadvertently do more harm than good.”

Sidon understood that, but it still didn’t bode well keeping this secret from their father. 

Nevertheless, Sidon still did have a skip in his step as he sauntered into the palace behind his child. To his amazement, however, when they rounded the corner towards the living spaces within the palace doors, a delectable scent wafted into his olfactory sensors.

“Oh,” Sidon mused, “It smells like someone has started on dinner, Minami.”

“I hope it’s a Link meal!” Nami cheered, leaping into the air before breaking out into a full on sprint. Sidon chuckled, trailing close behind her as she followed the scent passed his Father’s study and down the stairs to the royal kitchen. Knowing that he shouldn’t have been surprised, Sidon was still surprised when he entered the kitchen to find Link beaming as he prepped some knives to start chopping while King Dorephan sat at one of the Dorephan-sized tables in the large room. 

“Liiiink!” Nami cheered running up to the Hylian. Link spun around, absolutely beaming as he set the knives down and reached forward to catch her as she jumped into his arms. Giggling, the Hylian kissed the front of her head, mindful of her little barbels that had been growing in length as of late. 

Sidon couldn’t keep his smile at bay as he crossed his arms and leaned in the doorway. Link looked up at Sidon with glittering blue eyes and the brightest smile. He peppered Nami with another series of kisses before she started wiggling out of his arms to run up to her grandfather. Once his hands were free, Link teasingly asked, “Why have I been cooking in your dinky kitchenette when we have  _ this _ ?”

Sidon spat out a chuckle and said, “Well! With the little cooking talent I have I never thought to bring you down here, my apologies!”

“Oh that’s alright, my boy,” Father chortled as he lifted a bouncing Nami onto his shoulder. “That’s what I’m here for. You know, this young man has been a friend of our family for over a century and he  _ still _ hasn’t gotten a full tour of the palace?”

“What?” Sidon guffawed, turning his attention back to Link who merely shrugged. 

“I didn’t think it was my place to ask,” Link signed dismissively, “I’m no royal.”

“No, but you’re a treasured friend,” Sidon noted, taking several daring steps forward. Link shrugged again and turned his back to Sidon, facing the food on the counter. Curious, Sidon peered over Link’s head, not even thinking about the fact that he was now resting his arms on Link’s shoulders in a rather...affectionate display. But he did pay a lot of attention to the way Link hummed contently and leaned into him. 

He also noticed when he got caught by his father: “Ohoho, so how are you boys doing today?”

“Father!” Sidon jumped backwards as Link stiffened and looked up at the king. “W-w-w-well, thank you very much!” 

Dorephan chuckled and Nami bounced excitedly on his shoulder, urging him to lean towards her so she could whisper something in his ear. Sidon braced himself for the outburst he knew would come as he watched his father’s eyes light up.

“OHOOO! My boys!!” Dorephan roared in excitement, his eyes beaming but Sidon lurched forward and motioned quickly for him to keep quiet. Dorephan lept a little bit, jostling Nami slightly and earning a few giggles from her before she whispered to him again and the king covered his mouth, recovering by the time Link turned away from the stove before him in confusion. “I….hear that Minami got an A on her test on Friday!”

Link jumped in excitement at that and Sidon was thankful his father could think on the fly and also remind him of a very important piece of information. The prince stooped down to catch Nami as she slid down her grandfather’s arm and he cheered, “That’s right, she did! And on an exam she was sooooo worried about too!” 

Nami giggled as Sidon bounced her gently in his arms. Link chuckled as he approached the two of them signing, “Well, how come I haven’t heard about this yet?”

“Well, the last few days have been rather busy but I think we should celebrate, don’t you?” Sidon grinned. “Quick, what’s your favorite meal?”

“Ummmmm,” Nami mumbled, bashfully hiding her face against Sidon’s chest. “I dunno. Anything Link makes.”

“Oh!” Link grinned, signing, “Coming right up!” 

“Haha, Link I think this little one deserves a special kiss from each of us,” Sidon teased, blowing a raspberry on Nami’s cheek. 

“Well you need to bring her closer to my height, first,” Link teased back, standing up on his toes. Nami’s giggles quickly escalated and she started wiggling out of Sidon’s arms as he haphazardly tried to squat down. 

“Guys! Stahoooop!” Nami giggled, kicking her little legs. 

“Nope, you asked for this,” Sidon teased. “You’re the one that wanted two dads and now you have it.”

“Nooooo!” Nami giggled, wiggling even more until she was trapped by two dads kissing each side of her face in the most drawn out and obnoxious fashion as possible. And as if they were on the same wavelength, both men blew loud raspberries against her, causing Nami to draw her head back squealing and rubbing at her face. 

And...causing Sidon and Link’s faces to lurch dangerously close to each other. 

Had Sidon let his momentum continue for a few inches he most certainly would have wound up planting his lips against Link’s. 

“Uhhh,” both men droned simultaneously before quickly retracting and awkwardly clearing their throats. Setting Nami down, Sidon awkwardly paced around the kitchen while Link returned his attention to the stove. Eyeing his father and his daughter who were silently egging him on, Sidon finally grunted, “Link.”

“Yeah?” Link asked as he sauteed the vegetables in the pan. 

“So I need to make a trip down to Lake Hylia tomorrow,” Sidon rubbed the back of his neck, fighting to breathe evenly as his heart pounded in his chest. 

“Need me to watch Nami?” Link asked, looking up to Sidon for a moment.

“Well, actually my father agreed to watch her,” Sidon rocked on his heels. “What I was wondering is if...you’d accompany me on this trip.”

At that, Link glanced back up pointedly, a suspicious glint in his eyes, unmoving even as he poked a piece of squash with his fork and popped it into his mouth to taste test. 

“You know,” Sidon gulped. “Since you’re here...I imagine you’d want to head back to Hateno but...I’d enjoy the company…”

Link’s eyes darted back to Nami and Dorephan for a moment and Sidon was afraid to see their expressions. They flitted back to Sidon again and Link broke out into a smile as he nodded, “Sure!”

“Wonderful!” Sidon cheered gleefully as the first wave of pressure rolled off his shoulders. As Zelda found her way into the kitchen with some help from a royal attendant, Sidon set the table and sighed contently to himself as he dined in this kitchen for the first time in several years. As a young adult, the prince very much enjoyed having his own quarters and his privacy. But there was just something about sitting at the table as his daughter, his father, Link, and Princess Zelda all chattered excitedly around him that was just...so wonderful.

He missed this. 

Sidon knew the exact moment Nami leaned over and whispered into Zelda’s ear that he was taking Link to lake Hylia because the way the princess’s eyes lit up was absolutely priceless. And, as planned, the next day the two men set out, following the river’s current. Evidently, Link had every intention to stay in the Domain for a few days even after the trip now that he could classify himself as a co-parent. So, they left Link’s horse at the stable and Link and Sidon were all smiles as they swam down the river.

They chatted about nothing and everything at the same time, and Sidon was amazed at how quickly they passed Hyrule Castle and followed the river’s current even further south. As he predicted, it was early evening by the time they reached where the river emptied out into the lake. The blue sky was starting to change to beautiful oranges and yellows, and Sidon drew in a breath. It was now or never. 

Depositing a rather confused Link on the banks with their belongings, he urged the Hylian to stay put until his return. As Sidon dove back in the water, he centered himself, looking for the large body of the staminoka bass. 

Courtship for Zora was simple, and always symbolic. It was improper to speak exactly what was on your mind until the very last step of the process, which would be a proposal with a family heirloom: the Zora Sapphire. That being said, courtship was such a long standing tradition for the Zora that words hardly needed to be said, once the steps were initiated, both partners knew exactly what to do. 

But first things first, Sidon needed to guide the fish he now had his sights set on to the banks. As he waved his arms gently around it, trying to separate it from its school, he rehearsed the words he needed to say in his head. There would be one or two responses from Link. If the feelings weren’t returned, the Hylian would just smile and thank Sidon for the flattery, politely turning him down. 

But if it were a yes…

Sidon was beaming as he finally breached the surface, carefully lifting the fish into his arms. Just as a calm fish should do when the process is done with care, it was still, its lips clamping open and closed as it searched for air. To prevent it from suffering, Sidon was quick to trot over to Link and kneel down.

Beaming, Sidon presented the fish to Link who gave him a confused look. The Hylian had built a fire while he was underwater. 

“Link,” Sidon was breathless as he held the fish out to him. “This minnow, though small, has a strong heart. But it can’t swim alone…”

If Link’s response were a no, he’d simply say so. If it were a yes, he would have smiled and said, “It will never have to. But let’s not let this minnow’s heart dry up. We must set it free, foster it, let it grow from here.”

How Sidon had dreamed of hearing those words leave his fingertips of his tongue. How he could just picture those sparkling blue eyes, beaming as Link took the fish in hand. 

Sidon felt his heart swell as Link looked up to him, meeting his gaze.

And then in one fowl swoop, Link pulled his pocket knife out and grinned, “Hey thanks!” as he plunged the knife deep into the body of Sidon’s symbolic hypothetical love child with the Hylian. 

Link worked quickly, gutting the fish, filleting it and stabbing a skewer through it, seemingly oblivious to Sidon’s silent screams.

He killed the fish. 

What did that mean. 

Why did he kill the fish. 

As if to pour salt on the wound, Link literally pulled out a saltshaker to season the metaphorical dismembered heart. And then he roasted it over an open flame, blowing on it once he pulled it out of the fire and handed it to Sidon.

“Eat up!” Link grinned, placing the skewer in Sidon’s hand. The prince...very hesitantly took it into his hand.

He was...supposed to eat this?

By the time Link finished his own skewer, he looked up at Sidon who was still staring down at the fish in horror. “Is...something wrong?”

“No,” Sidon croaked, his voice cracking.

Link’s brow furrowed, eyeing Sidon skeptically as he took a massive bite out of his half of the fish. Sidon swallowed loudly, so distracted by what the hell just happened that he couldn’t do much more than rack his brain to try to figure out what it means when the person you’re attempting to court  _ kills _ the fish. 

Was that a no then?

But Zelda said he returned Sidon’s feelings! Fuck, he agreed to be Nami’s  _ father _ , how could he say no to courting!? 

Did he smell?

Sidon carefully brought his arm up to his olfactory sensors and other than the natural grime that tended to pile up in a lake and the scent of campfire, Sidon didn’t smell like anything at all. He certainly smelled better than Link did on most days, no offense to him Sidon liked that pungent musk, but there was no way  _ that _ of all things could be what’s holding  _ Sidon _ back. 

That couldn’t be a no, if it were a no, Link would’ve just said so--

“So what do you need to do here of all places?” Link asked with his mouth full. Clearly still ravenous Sidon offered Link his skewer, insisting that he just wasn’t hungry yet and decided to fetch some actual dinner while Link devoured his hypothetical heart and soul. 

It was around then when the lightbulb went off and Sidon growled in a low voice: “I’m being challenged.”

“What?”

“Nothing! I uh,” Sidon looked around. “It’s just...uh...we Zora, at one point or another have to make a trip down here at some point. See the world, so to speak. My father suggested that I take the opportunity to make a trip down here at least and enjoy your company while doing so.”

“Oh,” Link took a bite into the other fish skewer and Sidon tried to disguise the way he flinched. “Are there any places you need to see or…?”

“Just...bodies of water…” Sidon groaned. This must be a challenge. Mei said it herself, Link was a well-traveled man and a person of his class must have faced many suitors in his time. Many suitors with many fish. He must’ve been testing Sidon’s patience. One staminoka bass from Lake Hylia wouldn’t be good enough. 

He needed to reel in at least two. And if that didn’t work, three. He’d fill up all of Vah Ruta if he had to so long as it meant getting his dedication to Link across. 

“Well, hell, we’re already all the way out here, if you want to make a mini vacation of it we can head south from here and I’ll show you some great places,” Link offered.

“Oh, I can’t do that,” Sidon shook his head, “I’ve already taken a vacation when I visited you in Hateno, I don’t really want to leave the Domain for too long.”

“Yeah, but your dad suggested it,” Link added. “Look, we already got here faster than anticipated, if we leave by sunrise, we’ll hit Cora lake by midmorning and that empties into a river which empties into the Faron Sea. We’ll reach the beaches by lunchtime if you swim at the pace you did today.”

Sidon took in a deep breath, thinking hard on the suggestion. Biting his lip he asked, “Do you know about the species of fish in that sea?”

Link pursed his lips, leaning his arms against his knee for a minute. Finally he shook his head, “No, can’t say that I do.”

“Alright,” Sidon grinned to himself. Perfect. The bass may have been a failure, but surely no one had dared to present the Hero of Hyrule with two fish from the Faron sea.

Sidon returned to the lake to catch actual dinner and once that was on the fire, he was feeling much better about his plan.

Tomorrow for sure he would be able to return to the Domain as the proud boyfriend to the Hero of Hyrule. 

Well...they reached the Faron Sea, and Sidon dove headfirst into the water and...well…

Sidon grit his teeth as he stared hard at the schools of fish surrounding him. 

Aside from the fact that the salt water was seriously starting to irritate his gills there was literally  _ nothing _ of decent size that seemed rare enough for Link to appreciate. Grumbling to himself, Sidon resurfaced and stomped back onto the beach with a huff. Link had taken it upon himself to strip down into his undergarments and was laying out on the beach. With a huff, Sidon sat down next to Link and blew a large puff of air out in his last attempt to try to get the stray salt granules out.

“Everything okay?” Link asked.

“I can’t find what I need,” Sidon grumbled. 

“Oh,” Link propped himself up on his elbow, looking out to the sea. After a moment of silence he asked, “...are you looking for fish?”

The way Sidon’s head moved on a swivel as he looked over to Link was one he’d imagine would haunt a normal person’s nightmares he was so stressed out. 

“Yes, Link,” Sidon’s voice shook. “I’m looking for the right fish.”

“Well hell, why didn’t you say so?” Link rose to his feet, dusting the sand off his legs. “If you were looking for cool fish I would have taken you to the east coast where porgy schools live. Or...actually…”

“What?” Sidon leaned forward as Link tapped his chin contemplatively. 

“Probably the best and rarest fish I have seen would be the Hearty Salmon,” Link nodded to himself. 

Sidon was on his feet shaking Link before his mind could even process his question: “WHERE IS IT!?”

“Oh!,” Link reared his head back in surprise as if he didn’t know why Sidon was looking for the perfect fish. The prince had to admit, he was starting to get really sick of Link’s playing coy with him. “Well, those are all the way over by Rito Village.”

“Rito…” Sidon coughed. “Village?”

“Yeah,” Link nodded. “It’s the only spot I’ve ever seen them.”

Sidon wanted to scream again. 

“Alright,” he said, forcing his voice to stay even. “Well, how many days is it to Rito Village?”

“What?” Link reared his head back, chasing after Sidon who was making a beeline towards the tall grasses ahead of them. “Sidon, you can’t go there  _ now! _ ”

“And why not?” Sidon snapped back. “You said that’s where the Salmon are!”

“Yeah, and it’s freezing up there,” Link retorted. “You don’t have the right gear, Sidon.”

“Whatever it takes,” Sidon snarled. “I’ve been presented a challenge and I will face it head on.”

“Wh-Sidon what the hell,” Link tugged on Sidon’s arm, digging his heels into the sand. “Just. Hold up, we just got here! You’d freeze to death in those waters!”

“Then  _ please _ explain to me, oh courageous one,” Sidon finally snapped as he spun back around to face Link, “What does it mean when you gut a fish!?”

Link froze in place, staring at Sidon with wide eyes.

And then, with the blankest smile, he asked, “What?”

Sidon gave a smile but not because he was amused by the situation. It was only because he didn’t know how else to respond. 

“Just, come here,” Link’s voice was soft as he tugged on Sidon’s hand. As if he was purposefully trying to tempt the Zora prince into straying away from tradition, the Hylian pressed an affectionate kiss against his knuckles, rubbing his forearm. With a smile he batted his eyelashes and said, “You’ve swam us both for miles and miles over the last two days, you take a rest. Lay out on the beach, enjoy yourself. I’ll catch us some food, okay?”

Sidon let out a gruff snort, relenting. “Okay.”

Link grinned and stood up on his tiptoes, cupping both sides of Sidon’s face with his hands as he grinned that cute little pearly white grin, “It’s a vacation, remember? Enjoy yourself!”

Sidon grinned at that, laughing as he watched Link struggle in the water, cursing to himself when he finally did bring up a meal. Eventually Sidon took pity on him and dove into the water and the two played in the ocean like hooligans until sunset. It wasn’t until it was time to tuck in for the night as Link was huddling up to lay as close as humanly possible to Sidon that his anxiety-ridden thoughts took over his mind.

What the hell did this mean. 

Vacation or not, cuddling or not, Link still  _ killed the fish _ . 

The Hylian in question let out a sleepy groan and rubbed Sidon’s back, mumbling, “Relaaaax.”

“I’m perfectly relaxed,” Sidon lied, rolling over onto his other side as he draped an arm over Link. “I just have nowhere to put my head as usual.”

“Well, here,” Link wriggled in Sidon’s arms until they were face to face and then he lifted his arm under the space between Sidon’s face and where his large crest extended out to the side. Sidon narrowed his eyes a little as Link continued adjusting. Finally his arm moved to a spot that allowed him to tilt his head to a more comfortable position. “Does that help?”

“Yes, actually, that’s quite comfortable,” Sidon noted. “But what about your arm, won’t it fall asleep?”

“No, this is a good spot for it,” Link gave a sly grin. “Although...it is a little outstretched more than I’m used to.”

“Well, here,” Sidon grinned, scooting closer until their foreheads were touching. “Does that help?”

Sidon stared deep into Link’s eyes and the Hylian gently ran his other hand along Sidon’s snout. With a sigh, he answered, “Yes, that’s perfect.”

Had the Zora prince been given a clear cut answer the day before, there was no question in his mind of whether or not he would have kissed Link in that moment. But alas, Link gutted what Sidon had intended to be a heartfelt proposal so he was left confused and settled for nuzzling Link gently, purring in content until Link fell asleep and then laying awake with wide eyes the rest of the night with nothing to keep him company but his stray thoughts and Link’s loud snoring. 

_ What the hell did this even mean!? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can guarantee you that it's only going to get worse from here.


	29. The War of the Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon is still confused. Link is convinced that he's missing something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have updated this like yesterday but then Dream Daddy came out on Steam and I...
> 
> I have no excuse for myself. The Dad puns would make Link so proud.

“So?” King Dorephan leaned forward in his seat, his grin so large Sidon wondered if it had surpassed the boundaries of his face. “How did it go?”

“Well…” Sidon clasped his hands neatly together, looking at the ground. 

Dorephan’s grin fell ever so slightly, “You...did ask him, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did!” Sidon defended. “I presented him a staminoka bass on the banks of Lake Hylia at sunset.”

“Oh how wonderful!” Dorephan clapped his hands together, that grin returning full force and then some, his eyes glittering. “So? Come on, my boy, what did he say?”

“Well…” Sidon returned his gaze to the ground. “I don’t know.”

Dorephan’s smile fell completely. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I--”

“Did he say no?”

“Well, that’s what I’m confused about--”

“Did he return the fish to the Lake with you?”

“No.”

“Well then, what did he do?”

“He uh,” Sidon scratched the back of his neck, rocking on his heels slightly before he finally asked, “Father, what is the answer when one kills the fish?”

If there was ever a time that Sidon could not read his own father, this was now. “I...what?”

“What does it mean when the recipient kills the fish?”

“They...don’t, Sidon,” Dorephan leaned back in his throne, “That’s not even a situation! Who in their right mind would--”

“Well that’s what Link did,” Sidon cringed. “He just….thanked me and then gutted it right in front of me. Was he offended by my request? Was it a challenge? I didn’t know what to do so I tried to go out to the sea just south of us but there was nothing there and--”

“Sidon,” Dorephan’s eyes were crinkling he was squinting so much. “I...don’t think Link knows about our courting traditions.”

Sidon felt his gills flare out and his hands clench into fists as he held in a scream. Of all the things he had been hoping his father would say, that was  _ not _ one of them. Why it made him so angry, he didn’t really know but nevertheless he shouted, “How is that possible!? He’s  _ lived _ with the Domain for--for--he  _ courted _ Mipha!”

“No, Mipha thought he was courting her which is why she asked him of his feelings and he had to fess up that he was a big gay Hylian,” Dorephan droned. “I literally had this discussion with him, Sidon. I’m shocked he hasn’t told you!”

“He...has…” Sidon covered his face in his hands. “But still, Father, how can he  _ not _ know at this piont? He has to--”

“Sidon,” Dorephan held a hand up, silencing his son, “Even if he was familiar with our traditions, he is still a Hylian and a Hylian  _ man _ at that. Our old ways simply won’t suffice even if he knew what the initial proposal was supposed to be.”

“But Father,” Sidon grimaced, “Our ‘old ways’ have stood the test of time for thousands of years! They are beautiful and symbolic and-and, Father I am the  _ prince _ . I can’t just simply forgo tradition like you are suggesting!”

“You speak as if our traditions have not adapted with the times, Sidon,” Dorephan chuckled. “Do you honestly think the great Sage Princess Ruto was adhering to the same courtship rules that you are expected to? The tradition with our sapphires started with her when she presented her mother’s heirloom to the young hero of that time...and come to think of it I can’t help but wonder if the Hero is just consistently reincarnated with a peculiar affinity for Zora or--”

“ _ Father _ ,” Sidon hissed, bracing the side of his face in his hands as his fingers massaged his temples. The last thing he wanted on his mind was an image of Link’s past incarnations... _ getting together _ with a great sage of the Zora’s history. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Dorephan waved off casually, “My point is, Sidon, your chances of adhering completely to tradition were forfeited the moment you came out. We haven’t had two males openly courting before, and we haven’t had interracial courting before. I’m afraid to say it but you’re going to have to take a number of liberties with this.”

Sidon folded his arms stubbornly, fighting the urge to bare his teeth at his own father, “I’m still inclined to doubt that Link is completely clueless.”

“For Heaven’s sake, Sidon,” King Dorephan smacked his hand to his face, “Even if he wasn’t, he still has gaps in his memory! He’s always going to have those gaps; it’s simply impossible to recall such small intricate details like the courtships of another culture without some sort of stimulus--”

“That’s it!” Sidon nearly lept out of his skin as the spark lit up in his head. Of course! How could he be so silly!? “He doesn’t know about our courting traditions because he doesn’t remember! Father, you’re a genius!”

"Son, I think you are missing my point--”

“I simply must keep trying,” Sidon was pacing now, thinking out loud. “Perhaps I do need to take liberties with this but I can just continue forward through the next steps of this journey until it jogs his memory. Of course! Thank you, Father!” 

“Sidon, that’s not what I said--!” Dorephan called out as Sidon had turned to leave, but the closing of the door to the throne room told the old king that his son was deaf to his cries. 

The stubborn fool…

 

* * *

 

The shock in Nami’s expression when he explained to her (after several attempts of alternating between sign and written word) that the intense build up to what he thought would have been some kind of proposal or request to enter a relationship with Sidon turned into...just a lot of fish for dinner, well, it was an expression that surpassed even what Link had expected. 

She looked a little too shocked.

With him.

Somehow, Link got the feeling he was missing something. 

Nami blinked several times, “Well...then why don’t you court him instead?”

Link reared his head back at that, “What?”

“Yeah,” Nami shrugged, swinging her legs a little. “I mean...Hylians have a courting thing, right?”

Link bit back a groan at that. They...did have traditions but….Link….kind of hated tradition. It was way too sappy and uptight and….well,  _ structured _ . 

And also very heavily designed for gender roles that would not at all work out considering they were two men and based on height and status alone Link probably should’ve assumed a more feminine role in their relationship by Hylian standards. 

Which was fucking bullshit. Just because he was short and looked damn good in Gerudo wear didn’t mean he had to conform to  _ those _ standards! He was a manly man, dammit! He ate raw meat and  _ enjoyed  _ it! What was manlier than that!?

And, okay, yeah, so he liked to do a little more than wear Gerudo clothing from time to time. Sure, Bolson may have put him in drag a time or two (okay seven) before and Link discovered that he knew how to flaunt it didn’t mean he had to be in some submissive, receptive role. And even then, why did anyone have to follow that!? That’s bullshit!? Fuck the patriarchy!

Nami waved her little hand in front of his face, bringing Link back to reality, “Liiink? Hello? Hylian Dad are you in there?”

“Huh?” Link grunted, shaking his head a little, “Sorry.”

“So do you have courtships or not?” Nami asked, her tail swaying slightly.

“We do,” Link muttered, contemplating for a moment. They did...and Link hated them…

But that didn’t mean Sidon had to know what they were. 

A devilish grin met Link’s lips and he looked up at the girl. He could still easily romance Sidon without adhering to the old standards. He could make a new tradition out of it, one that was sweeter, better, utilized all of the great romantic gestures of the world and knit it into one seamless blanket of love for his prince. 

Rising to his feet in excitement, Link clapped his hands around Nami’s face, planted the biggest kiss on her forehead that he could manage, and proclaimed, “Nami, you’re a genius!” before he sprinted out the door to get started on his work.

 

* * *

 

When Sidon returned home, he was a little surprised to find Nami laying on the floor working on homework by herself. 

With Link...nowhere to be found…

Sidon’s eyes darted around the main living space. His quarters were small...and definitely cramped with three people in it, so he should have at least  _ heard _ Link in say the washroom or something.

“Nami,” Sidon asked, garnering his daughter’s attention. “Where’s your father?”

“Which one?” Nami asked, and Sidon wasn’t sure if she was teasing or being serious. 

“The one that’s not speaking to you and has a nose and is currently not in my line of sight,” Sidon said in a low voice, trying to keep from losing his patience.

Nami giggled, her tail wagging as she explained, “He went out a little while ago. Said he needed to get something for you.”

“He...left you alone?!” Sidon felt his eyes widen. 

Nami shrugged, “Not for very long.”

“I,” Sidon turned his head to look out the doorway which he was still standing in. That--that fiend! “He was supposed to be watching you!”

“Well, he was,” Nami sat up, shrugging a little. “He just had to go...get something I think!”

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Sidon groaned, finally stepping forward and closing the door behind him so he could walk up to his little girl and lift her into his arms to give a big hug. “I’m sorry you were by yourself, Sweetie.”

“Dad he hasn’t been gone long, it’s okay,” Nami noted. 

“I knooooow but I’m overprotective, let me have this,” Sidon retorted, giving the girl a tight squeeze. She grunted a little in his grasp but let out a sweet giggle. 

“Okay,” Nami said, resting her little chin on his shoulder. 

By the time Link finally did return, Nami had finished most of her homework and Sidon was reclined in the sea bed they always got out for Link with Nami sitting contently on his chest as he helped her go through her answers and make sure her assignments were ready to turn in the next day.

“I’m back!” Link announced, grinning widely. Goddess, he looked so cute when he was that delighted, but Sidon was still a little annoyed with him for leaving their daughter home alone.

“As am I,” Sidon snorted. “Funny, I thought you said you could watch her while I met with Father.”

“Uh,” Link’s ears immediately fell to the drooping position that proved to be Sidon’s weakness. “Fuck.”

Sidon sucked in another breath and Nami stifled a giggle. The prince stood up, setting the little girl on the ground and strode casually over to a now nervous looking Link. Figuring it wasn’t worth getting into an argument, Sidon simply pulled the Hylian into a hug, resting his chin on his head and sighing, “No harm done. I was just a little alarmed when I found her by herself.”

“I’m so sorry,” Link blurted. “I didn’t--I--”

Sidon chuckled, “It’s quite alright, Link. It’s as I said, no harm done.” He then pulled out of the hug, resting his hands on Link’s shoulders and smiling, “Just please don’t leave her alone when I ask you to watch her.”

Looking up at Sidon, Link grinned and stepped into the prince a little, “Yes sir.”

Smiling, Sidon noted the way Link was bending backwards slightly, fighting hard to conceal the odd assortment of weeds he was hiding behind his back despite his small stature. Humoring Link, Sidon asked, “What have you brought back with you, Link?”

With a smug expression, Link presented the assortment to Sidon and grinned, “For you.”

“Oh!” Sidon stared at the red and pink flowers for a moment, uncertain what the hell Link was getting at and wondering for a moment if the Hylian had gone insane or was pranking him or what. But all thoughts came to a screeching halt when the horrible stench hit his olfactory sensors.

“Oh Goddess Above,” Sidon guffawed, retracting involuntarily, “What is that horrible smell!?”

“The what?” Link grunted, his ears drooping again. He looked down at the weeds and stuck his nose in them, as it registered that the sickeningly sweet smell was coming from the  _ flowers themselves _ , the very sight of Link willingly putting his face in those things was enough to make Sidon gag. But Link was unphased as he looked up, confused, “The flowers?”

“Yes,” Sidon nodded, covering his mouth, with so many olfactory sensors lining the front and sides of his head, there was unfortunately no way to shield himself from the horrible assault. “Yes I believe it’s those weeds. Oh gosh that’s absolutely putrid!”

“...weeds?” Link croaked, and it only faintly registered with Sidon that he might have said something wrong to the man. 

“Erm,” Sidon forced himself to straighten up and bare the painful stench. “Forgive me. What I meant to ask was….what did you get those...for?”

“Uhhhhh,” Link stared back down at the flowers and beads of sweat started pooling along his temples despite the paleness of his cheeks. Honestly, how Link was so strong to carry those foul smelling things with him was beyond Sidon. 

Unless a Hylian’s nose was less sensitive than a Zora’s olfactory nerves. Which was also entirely possible considering the organ they used to interpret smell was also used to filter air in and out of their lungs. What an odd anatomical structure they had.

“Cooking,” Link finally blurted out, catching Sidon by surprise.

“Cooking?” Sidon repeated. “Really?”

“....yeah….” Link’s eyes were darting in every direction instead of where Sidon stood. “I….found a new….recipe?”

“Oh!” Sidon jumped a little at that, daring to tease, “I suppose the heat would cook down the stench of those flowers as well too!”

Link was silent for a painfully long moment.

“Yeah,” he nodded. 

Sidon found himself rocking on his heels, nervously clasping his hands together. He had the odd feeling that he made a mistake here. “Well,” he tried, “I can’t wait to try it!” 

 

* * *

 

Sweet Hylia and all the Golden Goddesses did Link make a mistake. 

How the fuck was he supposed to cook  _ roses _ in with a stew!? 

Ohhhhhhhh no this was a mess. It was going to taste awful and he knew it. 

How was he supposed to know that the flowers smelled bad to Zora!? 

What was worse was when he noticed the flowers’ smell only get...more pungent as they mixed in with the other herbs that Link had dumped in there.

He could not believe he had just done that.

What the fuck was wrong with him. 

Not even Nami could keep a straight face as she started coughing and hacking as the stench wafted through Sidon’s apartment. 

Oh this was a mistake. 

What was worse was that Link had learned that, while some of the petals’ taste was passable in the food, the lighter portions of the flowers were so bigger Link himself almost coughed up most of his food. Nami didn’t even touch her dinner and Sidon kept smiling at Link pretending the meal was good even though he was visibly gagging.

And audibly gargling his mouth in a desperate attempt to get the taste out afterwards. 

“I’ve ruined everything,” Link held his head in his hands as he sat down on his bed that night. Next to him, Nami patted his shoulder gently.

“It’s okay,” Nami shrugged, “Not all recipes turn out good. It took Dad three tries before he figured out how to cook a chicken all the way through.”

“I’ve tarnished my good name,” Link muttered, feeling himself beginning to shake. 

This was too much. 

Unable to maintain his strength, Link carefully turned onto his stomach and laid down on the bed, hoping he would somehow smother himself in his sleep and never have to live to face the consequences of his greatest mistake in history.

He fucked up dinner. 

His actions were unforgivable. 

“Liiink?” Nami droned, pulling slightly at his ponytail. “Link, wake up you and Dad still have to read me a bedtime story.”

Link didn’t even have the willpower to look his little girl in the eye as she spoke. His life was over. 

Nami let out a tiny growl and called out, “Daaaaaad! Link’s beating himself up!”

Link let out a groan and pressed his face further into the bed, trying hard to will the sheets to get caught in his nostrils and suffocate him. 

“Oh heavens,” Sidon noted as Link heard footsteps approaching his bed. “Link, it’s alright you--”

The next events that followed consisted of a startled yelp from Sidon, the shifting of the bed underneath Link, and then a massive bounce as Sidon apparently had tripped and landed onto the bed, launching both Link and Nami into the air. When Link landed, he knocked his head against Sidon’s, causing the two to recoil away from each other before Link plopped back down face first. 

The entire time, Nami was cackling at her fathers’ misfortunes.

Link let out another groan.

Sidon heaved a long exasperated sigh, “Link. I don’t suppose I can convince you to relocate your bed to my room so there’s more space in here?”

Link groaned again.

“Was that a yes or a no?”

“Yeeeeeeeeeesssssss.”

Sighing again, Sidon sat up and stood up. Link didn’t have the energy to follow his lead. 

“Um...Link, could I possibly ask for your assistance or…?”

All Link could do was groan.

“Very well,” Sidon sighed and with a swift grunt Link felt Sidon kicking at the bed, inching it forward. 

Giggling, Nami bounced on it, “Daddy, what’re you doing?”

“Moving the bed, Little One,” Sidon chuckled, giving it a few more good kicks before he pushed on it with his full strength. Link continued groaning and didn’t bothering to look up until Nami patted his head and announced she was going to take a shower. And then from there he didn’t actually sit up and look around until it dawned on him that the shower in Sidon’s washroom was running.

Blinking a few times, Link sighed, staring off into space a little bit before Sidon emerged from the washroom, running a towel gently over his glistening scales. 

“Link, I was wondering if you wanted to go for a swim after we drop Nami off at school tomorrow--Link are you alright?”

Link hadn’t realized he was staring at the beautiful glistening scales rippling over his muscles, his bare body stripped of all his armor. He also hadn’t realized he was blushing bright red until the prince had brought it to his attention.

“Oh! Ohhh I’m sorry!” Link pushed himself backwards so fast he lost his balance, covering his eyes. 

“About what?” Sidon asked in confusion,

“I--I didn’t mean to--” Link stammered, covering his eyes. “Uh...just--I won’t look anymore I promise just put some clothes on!”

“What--Link, I don’t wear clothes,” Sidon started laughing, 

“I--ohhh,” Link sat back up, uncovering his eyes. Blinking several times, he looked Sidon up and down. It was true but...the man definitely looked different when he wasn’t adorned in all his royal regalia. He looked so…

Handsome.

Link felt an odd warmth pooling deep in his belly.

The Hylian tightly crossed his legs to conceal the way that warmth traveled down and pulsated intensely in between them. 

Laughing nervously Link stupidly asked, “So uh...how was your shower?”

“Hm?” Sidon grunted. He took the liberty to sit down on the bed next to Link, placing his arm carefully behind him. Smiling, Sidon batted those gorgeous golden eyes of his and said, “Oh it was quite nice. Are you feeling any better?”

“Mmm,” Link groaned, leaning to the side. He had intended to just rest on Sidon’s chest, but alas, the prince’s scales were slick and Link’s head slid all the way down into Sidon’s lap. “Ah! Geez, I’m so sorry.”

Sidon burst out laughing as if Link’s series of overly embarrassing flubs didn’t bother him. Rolling onto his back, Link still covered his face with his hands but enjoyed the way Sidon brushed his claws through his hair. 

“You seem to be apologizing much too much today,” Sidon noted, and Link peeked up through his fingers to see that handsome smile on him. “What’s troubling you?”

“Aaah, it’s nothing,” Link groaned, dropping his hands finally. “I just really screwed up everything today I feel like.”

“Oh, it was just dinner,” Sidon chuckled.

“Mmmm, it was a little more than dinner,” Link covered his hands again.

“Oh, no, hey, it’s alright!” Sidon leaned forward, and scooped Link up entirely into his arms, hugging him from behind and nuzzling his snout in Link’s hair. “There’s no need to be upset about it! You’ve done no wrong, Link!” 

“Aaaaaah,” Link hugged Sidon’s arms and reclined against him. He couldn’t take this guilt anymore. “Sidon...do you know anything about Hylian gestures?”

“Hylian gestures?” Sidon echoed.

“Yeah,” Link sunk further in Sidon’s arms. “Like...what it means when you give someone flowers…”

“Like with those weeds--erm! Uhhh,” Sidon flinched a little, pulling Link closer to him. “Well, no I can’t say that I understand those nuances.”

“Oh shit,” Link dropped his head, curling his legs towards his chest into a ball. “Just fuck me in the ass already.”

“Uh,” Sidon grunted. “Link, I...um….”

“What?” Link scoffed, glancing up at a now very very red Sidon.

“I...don’t know if that’s particularly appropriate,” Sidon mumbled. It took a solid minute and a half for Link to process why the zora’s body was heating up so much.

“OHHHHH!” Link jumped off of Sidon’s lap, “CRAP! I didn’t mean it like that--I--fuuuuuuck!” 

“Uh,” Sidon grunted again, gulping. “Link, it’s alright--”

“HOW CAN IT BE ALRIGHT!?” Link snapped again, but before he could derail completely, Sidon reached forward and pulled him into a tight hug. 

“Just, explain to me what the flowers mean then,” Sidon said. “Are they supposed to be offered to someone as a meal?”

“Not...exactly,” Link grumbled, resting his cheek on the Zora’s shoulder. “You know what...nevermind, can we just go tuck Nami in and go to sleep?”

Sidon heaved a sigh, rubbing a small circle along Link’s back for a moment before he nodded, “Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”

Once  _ that  _ was taken care of, Link was hugging his pillow while staring down at Sidon’s sleeping pool as the Zora settled into it. Raising a brow, Link couldn’t help himself but reach down and poke at Sidon’s little dorsal fin. 

To his amazement, Sidon reached up and took firm hold of Link’s hand, running his thumb against his palm. Methodically, Sidon asked, “...Link…”

“Yeah?”

“Are...are flowers meant to be a romantic gesture?”

Link felt his eyes snap open (he hadn’t realized they had drifted closed) as he tensed.

“Link?”

Gulping a lump down in his throat, Link didn’t have the heart to say anything.

“Um…” Sidon said in a low voice. “If I may...do you…”

“Do I what?” Link grumbled, wanting nothing more than to die right then and there.

“Do you remember old Zora traditions?”

At that, Link closed his eyes and sighed in relief. “Which ones?”

“Oh,” Sidon said uncomfortably, “You know...just...in general…”

“Well,” Link rolled onto his back, adjusting his grip on Sidon’s hand. “It’s hard to tell...but...I do recall...Mipha being very tight-lipped on your guys’s courtships. Part of the reason she asked me was because I think I might’ve accidentally given her some date-like gestures? But she couldn’t tell because I either wasn’t doing them or I was doing them really badly…”

Sidon’s grip on his hand slackened suddenly.

“What,” Sidon stated. His voice was low and almost accusatory.

“Yeah…” Link felt his mouth drying up suddenly. “I...asked her what they were and she wouldn’t say anything. Said something about how they were sacred traditions that Muzu told her weren’t meant to leave the Domain.”

What almost sounded like a growl erupted from Sidon suddenly but it was muffled by the water and the bubbles that came up the pool. 

“Sidon?” 

“I’ll be back,” Sidon snarled, rising out of his pool suddenly and stomping out of his room. 

And the apartment. 

He slammed the door behind him. 

Link sat up in confusion, and though he couldn’t be sure he could’ve sworn he heard Sidon screaming, “MIPHAAAAAAAAAAA!” from somewhere at the reservoir. 

Which, if the sound really did carry all the way here, Link had to admit that was very impressive. 

Link plopped back down on his back, staring up blankly at the ceiling. He had a very bad feeling that he was missing something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These fucking idiots.


	30. Biggest Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At his wits end, Sidon seeks out Mipha for more answers. But at this point, the only one that really has anything to answer to is Sidon himself. 
> 
> If this boy would just get his shit together, that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OHHHH SNAP I'M BACK YO!
> 
> Ah geez, my profoundest apologies for taking so long to update! To anyone that isn't following my tumblr, basically what's been going on has been a lot of job hunting and preparation for graduate school. And I'm proud to announce that I have two jobs this fall and it looks like my classes are going to be busy but well worth it! 
> 
> Of course, that being said, I sadly can't promise how frequently I will be updating from now until the end of October as the semester starts on Thursday (my second job is as the coach of a local school's color guard, which means I'll only be working that for as long as the marching season goes~) but I will continue on as best as I can!! 
> 
> Thank you all so much for your continued patience and support! GET READY FOR MOAR PINING!

Sidon was not happy. 

In fact he was absolutely irate. 

Feeling his eye twitch, he stared the ghost of his sister down. 

Mipha sat across from him, fumbling over her words in a way that was so stereotypical of both royal siblings and their father that had their mother still been around, she would be clocking both Sidon and Mipha upside the head.

“Well...you see, I  _ did say _ that I was concerned about whether or not Link was actually familiar with--”

“Mipha,” Sidon cried out, his voice cracking in distress. “ _ He told you he didn’t know!  _ To your face! You knew! _ ” _

“He...could have learned about it in the last hundred years…” Mipha wrung her hands nervously. “You seemed so certain that I thought that you--”

“That I what!?”

“That you told him!!” 

At that, Sidon’s brain came to a screeching halt. 

Oh. 

“Oh,” the zora prince grunted. Feeling numb to the entire world, he paced awkwardly around the main console of Vah Ruta for a moment, trying and failing to come up with a solution. But alas, he was finally drawing a blank and, not knowing what else to do, Sidon sat down.

On the floor. 

Cross legged. 

Like a child. 

“Mipha,” Sidon licked his lips.

“Yes?”

“What do I do?”

Mipha blinked, her face unreadable but so similar to one that his mother would often make when she caught him red handed getting into something that somehow, Sidon just  _ knew _ he was going to get yelled at for his absurd incompetence. 

“I would imagine,” Mipha took a long, slow breath. “That you should probably consider talking to him.”

“Talking to--” Sidon instinctively scoffed at the idea, rolling his eyes so hard that even his head made a little circle. Laughing incredulously, Sidon looked up at his sister and scorned, “Mipha. We’re  _ Zora _ . Our tradition is so ingrained into our culture we can’t just--we can’t just  _ go about _ spilling our secrets and blaspheming centuries of love and courtships by  _ talking to _ \--”

“Did you not just assume that I did the very action that you are speaking so poorly of?”

“I--” Sidon’s words caught in his throat as she caught him in his own hypocrisy. The prince clamped his mouth shut and neatly folded his hands in his lap, looking away.

Well, shit.

Crossing her arms, Mipha gazed pointedly down at her not-so-little brother and lectured, “Sidon,  _ clearly _ we’ve  _ both _ established that making the same assumptions that we would about other Zora cannot possibly apply to Link. Not to mention, you are a  _ male _ seeking partnership with another  _ male. _ Surely Father must’ve said something to you about how tradition might not exactly apply here?”

A soft growl escaped the back of Sidon’s throat. Not out of anger, no, he could never truly be angry with his beloved sister. Especially when he knew she was right. When he knew that their father was right. 

It escaped out of...well…

“Mipha…” Sidon gazed down at the floor, his eyes feeling wet with desperation, “How can I even find the words to tell Link what he means to me?”

The number of times that Sidon had cried since all of this started was almost embarrassing. He was a grown man, a renowned prince, a  _ father _ , and yet he was still hopeless when it came to his own emotions. So much so that he was so steeped in denial of the tears that fell down his cheeks he didn’t even realize he was crying until he heard his sister’s comforting and familiar, “Oh, Sidon.”

She knelt down and wrapped her arms around him. Sidon whimpered at her touch and buried his face in her shoulder. This was pathetic. How was he supposed to handle a child or handle an entire kingdom if he couldn’t even handle his feelings for a simple, Hylian man.

...and a remarkable one at that, too.

A beautiful one, whose sun-kissed skin bore a different story to tell underneath every scar. Whose hair was so soft and delicate that Sidon could spend days just running his fingers through it. Whose eyes looked up and revealed a soul more pure than crystal spring waters. A hylian who…

“Sidon?” Mipha asked again, pulling the prince from his thoughts. He lifted his head, forcing himself to regain composure as he cleared his throat.

“I’m being ridiculous,” the prince finally admitted, forcing his voice past the lump in his throat. “I’m so sorry, Sister.”

“Please, don’t be,” Mipha soothed, cupping his cheek in her hand. “This is a lot to take in. It takes time to process. But for your sake, my dear Brother, you need to stop meddling and talk to Link. Words might not do your feelings justice, but if you allow for it, time will convey those emotions to him through your very actions.”

“I know, that it’s just…”

“Just what?”

“I can’t talk to him.”

At that, Mipha’s gaze dropped a little more. She pursed her lips a little more firmly than Sidon was used to seeing and she asked, “Why not?”

“I…” Sidon shook his head. “I don’t know…”

He had expected his sister soft, comforting aura to envelope him in the safe haven he once knew as a child. It’s what he wanted. But instead, she gave him exactly what he needed and bonked him gently upside the head with her hand and scolded, “Stop acting so pitiful, Sidon. You know exactly why you can’t speak with him and you’ve been giving excuses the entire time. The sooner you admit what’s really frightening you, the sooner you can buck up and get on with it.”

“Frightening me?” Sidon reared his head back, a little offended that Mipha would think he was  _ afraid _ to talk to Link of all things.

“Yes” Mipha crossed her arms. “The only other time I have ever seen you putzing around with this scale of buffoonery was when you were afraid to get in the water as a hatchling because you didn’t want the river current to sweep you away.”

Sidon hesitated, squinting his eyes slightly at Mipha, “When...exactly did this occur?”

“You were a hatchling,” Mipha rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t expect you to remember but you were coming up with grand stories of visions you had about how Ganon would return in the exact waters we were standing in and not even Mother could coax you in.”

Sidon bit his lip, having difficulty sitting comfortably on that new piece of information. “....but I’m the fastest swimmer in all of the Domain.”

“You weren’t a hundred years ago,” Mipha folded her arms, looking rather smug as she spoke. Only she had the power to subdue Sidon like this, and the prince found himself puffing his cheeks out in slight embarrassment. 

As if to add salt to the wound, Ruta rumbled and gave a trumpet that almost sounded like a laugh.

It was mocking him. He could feel it. 

“So...how does my... _ apparent _ past fear of river currents have to do with now?” Sidon finally asked indignantly and Mipha simply bobbed her head to the side and gave a small smile.

“You’re afraid of telling Link your true feelings,” she said simply. “You chalked it up to tradition at first, and now you’re coming up with reasons as to how words won’t convey your feelings and the very idea of talking to him is making you visibly upset, Sidon.”

A cold, sick feeling twisted deep within Sidon’s gut as his sister made her observations. As much as he hated to admit it, she did have a point. 

She was right.

He was afraid.

Very afraid. 

Sidon let out another growl through the tears that welled up in his eyes. What even was his problem? Why was he being such an overgrown hatchling about this? Why…

Why was he so afraid that his friendship with Link would change just because he was honest with the man that he cared so deeply about?

“I…” the prince let out a shaky breath, trying to keep from heaving. “I don’t want things to change between us…”

The proud Zora prince ran a hand over his face, trying to keep calm and force himself to meet his sister’s gaze. Taking another breath, he clarified, “I don’t want things to change...in a bad way. I don’t want to hurt him. I...Goddess Above, I’ve already asked him to raise Minami with me and if something didn’t work out between us then...oh my goodness I can’t even imagine the turmoil I would put her through and--”

“Sidon,” Mipha gently placed her hands on his, cutting him off. With the warmest and kindest eyes, she leaned forward and smiled, assuring, “Life is not a stagnant entity. It is meant to change. We as people are meant to grow, and develop, we simply cannot exist without change. And the same goes for relationships, be it platonic or romantic. I can promise you that whether or not you say anything to Link, your friendship with him  _ will _ change. For better or worse, I do not know, that is up to the two of you to discover. But if you say nothing, then you will spend the rest of your days living in regret and that is not the life I want for my baby brother. That is not the life your daughter would want for her father. And that’s certainly not the life that Link would want for the man dearest to his heart.”

“I know, Sister,” Sidon sighed, “I just...I’m  _ so scared _ , Mipha.”

Mipha responded to him by reaching forward and placing a gently kiss on his forehead. As she withdrew her lips she whispered, “I know. But that’s what makes you so brave.”

Sidon looked to his sister in confusion, but she would not clarify what she meant. As Sidon left the Divine Beast that evening and lumbered towards the Domain and his own quarters, he returned feeling more muddled than ever. 

He knew what he needed to do he just…

As right as Mipha was for calling bullshit on his excuses he honestly still didn’t know how to convey his feelings into words. He grew up knowing in his heart of hearts that words weren’t meant to convey one’s love for another. It was one’s actions, the care that they took in the courting rituals…

But as his sister did say, time would eventually tell Link all that he needed to know.

Perhaps it already had. 

Sidon rocked his head back and let out a groan as he opened the door and entered his home. Biting back a snarl, he shook his head knowing that his actions up until this point did little to convey just how he truly felt. 

The love from him that Link  _ deserved _ to feel. 

Sidon was only pulled from his thoughts when he entered his bedroom and jumped at the sound of loud snoring that thundered through the room more violently than even the roars of Calamity Ganon. Looking down in confusion at the sea bed resting as close to his sleeping pool as humanly possible and finding the little Hylian in question strewn about and tangled in the covers, Sidon realized that he had forgotten they relocated Link to his room not a few hours before.

Chuckling to himself and scolding his own forgetfulness, Sidon slid back into the sleeping pool and tried to quiet his own mind. Instead of doing that, however, he evidently quieted Link’s snores as the Hylian let out a snort and lifted his head suddenly.

“Huh?” he mumbled. Link looked around with bleary eyes that were not at all as adjusted for the dark room as they should’ve been, his hair matted to one side as he wiped drool from the side of his mouth.

Sidon sank a little deeper into the water as he looked up at Link.  _ Oh no, he was adorable. _

“S-sorry,” Sidon muttered, “Did I wake you?”

“Mmmwhere’d you run off to?” Link asked sleepily as he rested his head back on his pillow.

“Ah,” Sidon looked down, “I’m sorry I left so abruptly, Link, I was just...it’s hard to explain…”

“That’s okay,” Link hummed, his eyes slipping closed again. Oh sweet Goddess Above why was he so cute when he was tired? 

To make Sidon’s heart leap even more, the Hylian drooped his hand over the side of his bed and waved it lazily, letting out a soft little groan. When the zora failed to catch onto what the gesture was for, Link waved his hand a little more fervently, whining, “Sidooooon.”

“Hm?” Sidon grunted in confusion.

“Hold my hand,” Link muttered, and in the illumination of the moonlight that seeped through his windows, the prince could just barely make out the faint hint of pink that crossed the hylian’s squished cheeks. Drifting forward in the sleeping pool a little, Sidon came up to the very edge of it, then he lifted his hand and took firm hold of Link’s. 

Link sighed in content and Sidon couldn’t help but tease, “Is that better?”

“Much better,” Link muttered, and Sidon could tell by the heavy sigh that he had swiftly fallen back asleep after that. Sidon remained wide awake for a time longer, trying and failing to calm the demons in the back of his mind. Yet still they raged on. It wasn’t until Sidon dared to rest the front of his head against Link’s little hand that he still held onto that he was finally able to close his eyes. 

Breathing in his scent, Sidon didn’t realize when he drifted off into slumber. 

But he did know the precise moment when he woke up. A loud  _ thud _ from another room stirred the prince and he let out a soft grunt and lifted his head. When he opened his eyes the first thing he noticed were that his fingers were still very much intertwined in Link’s limp hand. Coming to a slightly better sense of alertness, Sidon reluctantly let go, amazed that he somehow slept through the ungodly loud snoring that Link emitted and also amazed that Link would not stir no matter how much noise Sidon made as he got up and out of his sleeping pool. He quickly ran a soft towel over his body and poked his head outside his room and found one little miss Minami standing in the living room, eyes wide and watery as she stood frozen with her little school tote turned upside down with all of her belongings and supplies spilled out on the floor from it. 

“I can’t find the book that I borrowed from Mr. Trello anywhere,” Minami cried out, puddles overflowing from her eyes. Still in a half-awake, sleep-deprived state, it took Sidon a couple of seconds to process what she was saying as he knelt down and moved to pick up her belongings. 

“That’s alright, Nami, we can--”

“NO IT’S NOT!” Nami wailed, the tears exploding out of her eyes suddenly. Sidon jumped back a little, not at all prepared for a turbulent morning, but he pushed through the brain fog and lifted the little girl onto his lap, trying to calm her.

“Nami, sweetie,” Sidon shushed, running a hand along her tail. “Calm down, you’re alright!”

“But-but-if I don’t give th-this back to Mr. Trello!” Nami coughed and hiccuped through her panicked sobs. “I have to bring it back todahaaaaay!”

“Okay, okay,” Sidon held her a little tighter as he continued to force himself to wake up. He scanned the strewn about papers that spilled out of her tote and bit the inside of his lip. His eyes then lifted and focused on the door leading into her bedroom and he bit back an irritated sigh.

He had asked her to clean her room over a week ago.

And it had been a few days since she allowed him to look inside to inspect it because “it wasn’t ready yet”. He knew then that she was just pulling his leg and trying to buy more time (as he had done once before too), but Link’s unexpected visit and even more unexpected meltdown had interrupted things a little. 

“Have you checked your bedroom?” Sidon dared to ask, bracing himself for louder sobs but instead, Nami’s cries got suspiciously quiet. 

“Um…” Nami wimpered.

“Have you  _ cleaned _ your room?”

“Daddy…”

“Minami,” Sidon pinched the bridge of his snout and fought hard to keep from starting the day off with a lost temper  _ and _ a lost book. Exhaling a long, loud sigh, he finally groaned, “I asked you repeatedly to take care of that.”

“I was gonna!” Nami defended, looking up at him in distress, “But I had homework! And Mr. Trello let me borrow the book! And-and!! It’s due back today, Daddy, and if I don’t bring it back to him then I’m gonna lose recess and he’ll be really sad because this book was his favorite book and-! And-! What if he never lets me borrow books again!? What will I do!?”

“Well, honey, I hate to say it but if you lose that privilege it might serve as an excellent lesson as to  _ why _ you need to keep your room clean and your belongings organized!” Sidon snarked back, looking down at the girl with a firm gaze. Heaving yet another sigh he gave Nami a gentle kiss on the forehead and set her back on the ground. Managing a smile he said, “Just, why don’t you show me your bedroom and we can look for it together.”

“Mmmmm,” Nami shuffled her feet along the floor as he gaze fell, cringing slightly at his suggestion.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t...really...want you in my room…” Nami admitted. Sidon reared his head back in surprise a little bit.

“And why is that?”

“It’s bad.”

“How bad?”

“Really bad.”

“O-okay,” Sidon closed his eyes and  _ reeeeally _ tried to keep the bite out of his tone of voice as he spoke, “Just...show me to your room and I will help you find the book. I won’t say anything about the state of it and we can deal with the mess when you get home from school.” 

“Ehhhhhh,” Nami groaned, rocking on her heels. She balled her little hands into fists and gripped tightly onto the fins that hung off of her waist. She looked up at Sidon and said, “Okay, but you gotta promise that you won’t get mad.”

“Oh, Nami,” Sidon bit back a cringe of his own, took a deep breath and said, “I promise.”

“Like you gotta  _ swear _ that you won’t get mad.”

Sidon lifted his left hand, facing his palm towards the little girl as if he were about to enter a courtroom and swore, “Cross my heart.”

Nami narrowed her gaze at him for a moment, pursing her lips before she hummed in discontent and clambered back up onto Sidon’s lap, taking firm hold of his hand and maneuvering it over his chest. “What are you doing?” Sidon asked.

“You gotta actually cross your heart,” Nami grunted, using Sidon’s hand to make a sloppy ‘X’ shape in the air over his chest. “Like that.”

“Alright, alright,” Sidon sighed, lifting his little girl into his arms and peppering her with kisses before he smiled and said, “I’d like to think I’m a pretty reasonable Dad, sweetheart. We all make mistakes sometimes or falter in our commitments, I know that.”

“You’re the best Daddy,” Nami nodded, resting her head on his chest. “But it’s really bad.”

“It’s quite alright, Dear,” Sidon assured, setting the girl down and opening the door to her room. He smiled at the still anxious child and insisted, “As I said, we can deal with the mess after school, for now we are just finding your book.”

“Mmkaaay,” Nami cringed, not really seeming to believe him. Sidon was almost offended that his own daughter seemed so distrusting of him.

But then he opened the door. 

And he looked inside. 

And it took everything he had in him to contain the scream that he had blocked midway down his chest as he looked at the state of his child’s room.

“Good heavens!” Sidon guffawed on instinct. There was no point in trying to keep all of his exasperated banter down.

How could she--? How did she--?!

“Dad you promised you wouldn’t get mad!” Nami cried out. 

“I’m not... _ mad _ …” Sidon lied, daring to step into the room. How could a zora’s bedroom get so cluttered!? It wasn’t like she had  _ clothes _ to pile up and stink up the place like Hylians did! Hell, she hardly had any toys to contribute either because she and Tumbo would rather collect frogs out by ponds than sit in her room playing with dolls! 

“How even…” Sidon slipped again, bit back every groan and cry to the heavens with so much force his gills flared out, and then let out a gruff snort, settling himself back down. “Okay. Where did you last see your book?”

“I don’t...really know…”

“Oh heavens,” Sidon covered his face with his hands, thought it best to not pry as to  _ how _ Nami could make such a mess or  _ why _ she could even tolerate living in it when she was already distressed about misplaced items, and just took on what he could as he rummaged through her belongings.

And...empty food plates that were evidence of midnight snacking…

Okay this was gross.

“Minami.”

“...Yes, Dad?”

“When you get out of school you come straight home so we can deal with this, you hear?”

“Okay, Daddy…”

Sidon kept a watchful eye on the clock, not certain when would be the appropriate time to call it quits and tell her she just needed to fess up to Trello. He had hadn’t even noticed the smell of breakfast wafting through his quarters until he heard the distinct, soft hum of Link’s voice and the scraping of a fork along a plate.

Looking behind him, Sidon found Link leaned up against the doorway, mouth full of food as he scanned the room and mumbled, “Huh. So that’s why you didn’t let us tuck you in…”

Sidon had half a mind to swat the plate square out of Link’s hand and make him help with this task if all he was going to do otherwise was stand and make snarky comments. But Nami beat him to the retort: “LIIIINK! That’s not nice!”

“What?” Link shrugged, surprisingly vocal, though his words were lacking in annunciation with the way his cheeks puffed out as he continued shoveling food in his face. “You didn’t.”

Nami stomped her foot on the ground and let out a ferocious, albeit not intimidating whatsoever, little growl as she bore her teeth at Link out of embarrassment. 

“Honey, stop that,” Sidon sighed heavily, not wanting to deal with any temper tantrums on top of the chaos that the morning brought.

As if to test Sidon’s own temper, both Nami  _ and _ Link turned their heads to him and with very blank faces, they very seriously asked, “Stop what?”

“Stop--” Sidon started to say. 

And then the words caught in his throat.

Was...did Link just…

Sidon felt his heart pounding and his cheeks turning redder than his back. “Stop...ugh, Nami, don’t be growling at Link. Link, don’t be teasing Nami and just help us find her book that she’s missing. I’m having none of this today.”

“Sorry, Dad,” Nami pouted as Link gave a silent thumbs up and moved out of the room briefly before returning with his hands freed of his plate. Cracking his knuckles Link maneuvered around the mounds of...things...with much more ease than either of the stumpy legged Zora in his midst. He began sorting through a few piles that had already been rummaged through and before Sidon had time to tell Link that there was no point in doing that, he noticed the floor space that Link was clearing up with his sorting. 

“Here, you two go sit down and have some breakfast,” Link offered once his hands were freed again. Sidon watched as Link moved towards where he was sitting and rose to his knees in response. In one swift motion, Link was bending over the pile Sidon was going through and cupped the Zora’s cheek with his hand, smiling as he whispered, “I’ll go through what I can. It’s bound to turn up somewhere.”

“Alright,” Sidon smiled, relaxing a little against Link’s gentle touch. “Nami, Link made us breakfast shall we go take a break and eat?”

“Yeah,” Nami huffed with a sad little sigh. “I’m really sorry…”

“It’s alright, honey!” Sidon smiled as Link turned his head and chuckled. “These things happen.”

Nami peered up at the two men apprehensively, rocking on her heels as she contemplated, “So...does that mean I’m not grounded?”

“No, Nami,” Sidon shook his head, “You are very grounded. I asked you to clean your room and you failed to do so and have lost something very important to Mr. Trello as a result. I told you that would be the consequence if you let your room get this bad.”

“Aw rats,” Nami whined, rocking her head back, kicking the ground a little with her foot. With a dejected sigh she turned and exited her room, leaving Sidon to bite back a groan.

Visibly feeling bad about a punishment he didn’t even deliver, Link called out, “We love you!”

“I love you too!” Nami huffed from the kitchen. Link responded to that by turning back to face Sidon in distress.

“Speaking of rats,” Sidon groaned, placing a hand on Link’s shoulder and rising to his feet. “I hope we don’t find any in here...goodness…”

“You don’t think she’s mad at us...do you?” Link wondered out loud, and received a pointed glare from Sidon in response.

“She knew her room was out of hand and I had asked her repeatedly to clean it and she insisted that she would clean it herself. I warned her what the consequences of neglecting this task would be. So if she bares any resentment towards us for following through to teach her a lesson then she will simply have to get over it,” Sidon responded in a hushed yet firm tone. Link stared back up at him with a blank face as he nodded his head. 

“What?” Sidon asked, recognizing that look. 

“Nothin’,” Link shrugged, his head still bobbing and nodding. Cracking a bemused smile, Sidon squeezed Link’s shoulder gently and stepped forward, wrapping his arm entirely around Link’s chest. Link turned his head up, noting that the prince as still laughing and with a furrowed brow he asked, “What’s so funny?”

“I hate to tell you this, my dear,” Sidon grinned, “But the first lesson of being a parent is that your child is not always going to like you. But they will always love you and eventually get over whatever resentment they feel so long as you are in the right when dealing a punishment.”

“Uh-huh…” Link glanced down, folding his arms over himself.

Trying to contain his laughter and failing to keep snickers from escaping his lips, Sidon bent forward and pressed his cheek up against the top of Link’s head, adding, “Besides, I don’t know why you’re concerned about her anger with  _ you _ . You weren’t the one who grounded her.”

“It’s called guilt by association, Sidon,” Link grumbled. “If she’s mad at you and I have to follow through with your decree then she’ll be mad at me too.”

“Hmmm,” Sidon hummed, unable to contain his toothy grin. “Yes, well, for what it’s worth, you are the cook in the family. Even if she was mad at you, she’s smart enough to continue showing her good side in order to obtain more of her favorite meals.”

Link scoffed at Sidon in response, apparently not satisfied with his teasing answer and stepped out of the hug. But not before patting Sidon on the cheek and retorting, “Go eat your breakfast, Asshole.”

“Hey now,” Sidon sneered back. “We don’t use that language in my household.”

The abhorrent pout that Link gave Sidon in response to that had the zora prince snorting he was doubled over laughing so hard. Unamused, Link rolled his eyes and snarled, “Well, I guess we’ll have to come up with a jointly owned household so some of  _ my _ rules can apply as well.”

“Is that so?” Sidon asked between giggles. Wiping a tear from his eye he stood back up to his full height. Or at least started to, for as he rose past Link’s eye-level, the Hylian snatched his jaw in his hand, squishing his cheeks and forcing him to look Link in the eye. 

With a narrow gaze, Link’s eyes shifted slightly and he said, “Second rule of parenting: the parents gotta be on the same page. And I’d like to have some say in these ‘household rules’ of yours.”

“Oh but of course you will,” Sidon winked. “Once you get more of your belongings moved in here.”

“Is that an offer?” Link cocked an eyebrow and gave a sly grin.

“Well, it’s only sensible,” Sidon teased. “You agreed to help me raise her and that’s not exactly possible to do living in Hateno full time….”

“Huh,” Link mused, his grin not leaving. "That's an excellent point."

"I should hope so," Sidon teased back. "Though I'm not budging on the rule for proper language under this roof. It's not suitable for a young princess to be spouting fowl words in front of her people."

Link snickered at that, as if he was willing to bet how long Sidon's statutes would hold up. Sidon couldn't keep a straight face either, even with his cheeks forcibly smushed together in Link's hand. They looked into each other's eyes for but a moment. And in that moment, Link sighed, his smile broadening as he slowly, gently, brought their foreheads together. Unable to contain the purrs that left his throat, Sidon smiled to himself and closed his eyes, not wanting the moment to end even when Link finally withdrew. Still, they gazed at each other for a little while longer, and while he knew they needed to break, the prince didn't want to. 

But eventually feeling his cheeks getting sore, Sidon forced himself to ask, “May I have my face back?”

Link ducked his head and snickered at that, but finally released the prince of his grasp. As his hand fell to his side however, Link still took hold of Sidon’s hand, gave it a squeeze, and then looked back up at him with sparkling eyes as he said, “Go eat your breakfast.”

“Yes sir,” Sidon teased, stepping around Link, but not before he turned back to face the Hylian. 

It happened in one smooth, swift motion. So brief and so fluid not even the prince of the Zora could have caught himself before he did what he did.

Well...he didn’t catch himself. 

That was the problem. 

He stepped around Link, took one fleeting glance at his smiling face. And then, with a gentle caress of the cheek, another gentle squeeze of his shoulder, Sidon bent forward and shared a small, but compassionate kiss with the man of his dreams. 

HIs heart went flying, his eyes closed as he reveled in the sweet taste of Link’s supple lips. 

But then he felt the way Link tensed up in his embrace. 

And then, just as Link started to lean into the kiss as well, it finally occured to Sidon what he had just done.

What he was still doing. 

“Uh!” Sidon jumped backwards slightly, only barely glimpsing at the warm daze in Link’s eyes as he pulled away before the Hylian sobered up and looked at the zora across from him with more alertness. 

Oh no.

What had he…

What did he just  _ do _ .

“Link, I--” Sidon covered his mouth with his hands.

Oh  _ no _ .

Blinking several times, Link looked up at Sidon and his ears started to droop a little, his face turning scarlet red.

“Sidon, it’s--”

“I’m so sorry!” Sidon pleaded.

“No, it’s fine--!”

“I should…” Sidon blurted, unable to control his burning cheeks and pounding heart as he about-faced and marched out of the room. “I’m sorry, Link I don’t know what became of me I should...gah, I’m going to go eat breakfast!”

As he scurried out of the room he heard the smallest little “okay” from Link that made Sidon question just how big of a mistake it was that he had made. Had it not been for Minami - and what a true  _ blessing _ that girl was for putting up with the both of them - Sidon probably would have bolted out the door crying to his sister’s spirit all over again.

Hopeless.

“What was that?” Nami asked through a face full of food.

“Nothing!” Sidon retorted, holding his head in his hands. A small and knowing little giggle escaped Nami’s mouth and from the corner of his eye, Sidon could see the most mischievous smirk on her lips. Kicking himself for his sheer stupidity, Sidon forced himself to eat and ordered, “Now eat your breakfast!” 

“That’s what I’m doing!”

“Oh,” Sidon grunted. “Right. Good girl.”

“Dad?” Nami asked.

“Yes dear?”

With another giggle, Nami pointed out, “You’re a mess.”

The sigh that escaped Sidon’s throat was way too long and way too exaggerated for him to ever hope to keep up a facade with his daughter ever again. But in that moment he didn’t care. All he could really manage to do was admit: “I know, honey. I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jfc, Sidon.


	31. Tell Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Sidon feels his world figuratively crumbling around him, his thoughts skidded to a halt at one overwhelming conclusion:
> 
> Just fucking tell him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *punches through the ground like a god damn zombie* I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!
> 
> Somehow between two jobs and grad school I managed to find time for another chapter. And by find time I mean I'm traveling for training at job one and had an incredibly long layover so I was able to pop a squat and crank this baby out! I'm so sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long, but since I have the opportunity it looks like y'all might not get just one but TWO chapters today!! Huzzah!! 
> 
> Thank you all so much for your patience! And since I'll be at training all week and have a good deal of downtime I also plan on updating Goddesses Above as well!! FINALLY I can work on my babies ^_^

_ It’s funny, the way two hearts can become so intertwined that it’s impossible to realize how codependent soulmates are on each other until they try to untangle themselves from the great big mess we call a love story and find themselves...well… _

_ Completely and hopelessly attached by the heartstrings.  _

_ Needless to say, Sidon was becoming painfully aware of this fact by the time they got Minami off to school that morning. Link, on the other hand was a little slower to pick up on the way fate had twisted and turned in its overzealous attempt to bring these two together. _

_ And by that, what I really mean to say is this dumbass saw nothing wrong with parting ways with his beloved after a fleeting kiss before amends, confessions, and promises could be made.  _

_ Which is where I come in, airhorns and broadsword ablazing, because frankly, if I’m going to be trapped on this miserable earth to enact the Goddesses’ wills and ensure destiny flows in accordance with time smoothly, I might as well have a little fun while I’m at it.  _

 

* * *

In one fowl swoop, Sidon felt as if his footing had been wiped out from underneath him. As quickly as it took the sun to rise from the horizon to the middle of the sky, the Zora prince went from disoriented and tired as he helped his daughter get ready for school to heart fluttering as he held the love of his life close to his heart, to completely and utterly mortified that he even so dared to kiss the Hero of Hyrule without permission.

And yet...with the way Link’s eyes sparkled the rest of that morning, the way the skip in his step rose just a little higher off the ground as they playfully swung Nami’s arms and lifting her off the ground during their trek to school, Sidon still found the faintest shreds of hope bubbling up within him. Those shreds turned to an overwhelming joy as he watched Link stoop down to hug their child, her tail wagging as she carefully tried to position her fingers and her hand to sign three beautiful little words to him:

“I love you!” 

Sidon chuckled, fully aware of how glassy his eyes were, and he watched the way Link lit up and waved the same sign back to her before he wrapped his arms back around Nami’s neck and blew a raspberry against her cheek. Nami squealed and pretended to push away from him, but her wagging tail gave her joy away. When Link finally released her, it was Sidon’s turn to give all the affection he could. 

“Bye, Dad!” Nami cheered, reaching her arms up to him for a hug. Sidon knelt down and enveloped her in his embrace. True, it was just another day at school, but that didn’t make the morning ritual and the hugs and goodbyes any less special to him. 

“Have a wonderful day, my Princess,” Sidon cooed in her ear, purring as he nuzzled the side of her head with his. “Give Mr. Trello that book as soon as you see him so you don’t forget."

“I will, Daddy!”

“And Minami,” Sidon released his daughter of the embrace and planted both hands firmly on her shoulders. Nami’s tail froze mid-wag for but a moment as they locked eyes, Sidon narrowed his ever so slightly to emphasize, “As soon as you get out of school you are coming straight home to work on your room, you understand?”

Nami puffed her cheeks out slightly, rocking a little on her heels, as if her grounding was something that could be negotiated, “...even if Tumbo wants to work on homework after school?”

“Sweetheart, I can count on one hand the number of times Tumbo invited you over to work on homework and you two actually stayed on task,” Sidon stated pointedly. “You are not getting out of this.”

“Uggggh,” Nami groaned, her face contorting into an expression Sidon hadn’t thought possible to even exist, “But it’s soooo grooooss.”

“True,” Sidon agreed, “But it won’t be once you clean it.”

Nami still looked a little sour, but she drooped her tail and relented, “Okaaay.”

“Good girl,” Sidon praised, kissing the top of her forehead, “Now you have a wonderful day, my love.”

“I will!” 

Nami waved her parents off as she skipped over to get in line with her other classmates, chatting excitedly with Tumbo and the small little herd of children that the two had started to accumulate as a friend group. Sidon chuckled to himself, shaking his head. No matter how many mornings he fought with her to wake up, or how well he had mastered their routine, he would never get over the sweet sight of the little Zora all huddled up together in a neatly filed line, his little Minami at the epicenter of the more animated banter. 

Goddess Above, she was so cute. 

The gentlest little nudge finally pulled Sidon from his thoughts as he looked down at a rather pleased looking Link, who was smirking as he signed, “Whatcha daydreaming about up there?”

Sidon simply rolled his eyes and shoved Link gently, unable to wipe the grin from his face, “Oh nothing.”

“Uh-huh,” Link grunted sarcastically before lifting his hands and signing, “Come on, we should get going or you’ll be late for your meeting.”

Sidon couldn’t argue with Link’s logic, nor could he deny how impressed he was that Link was even remotely aware of his schedule that day. And yet, instead of dwelling on that, Sidon quickly realized on the walk home that his brain was screaming at him. 

He  _ kissed Link _ .

_ On the lips. _

And they still weren’t talking about it. 

Sidon felt his breath catching in his throat, unable to pass through his mouth and lips to get the words out. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to  _ do _ ? 

As if it were a sign from the Goddesses (or, more realistically, Mipha) Link reached out and took hold of Sidon’s hand and the prince almost instantaneously relaxed in the gentle grip, their fingers dancing together as they intertwined around one another before settling down in a comfortable hold. 

They continued walking forward, saying nothing. 

Yet even in the beautiful quiet of the moment, Sidon’s mind was still racing and racing, screaming and failing to come to a sensible conclusion until Link gave a gentle squeeze of his hands and asked aloud, “Are you okay?”

“W-what?” Sidon jumped a little, looking down at the Hylian. He gave a nervous laugh on impulse and then suddenly all of his racing thoughts skidded to a stop with one overwhelming command:

_ Tell him _ .

“Link…” Sidon tried and failed to find the words. He swallowed a lump in his throat. 

_ Tell him _ .

“I, uh... “ Sidon started again. Was the Domain extra humid that day? Or was it just him? 

Link’s brow furrowed ever so slightly as he turned to face Sidon fully. “Sidon, what is it?”

_ Tell him _ .

“I…” Sidon looked down and steadied himself. Come on, he needed to do this…

In a brilliant flash of inspiration, Sidon had remembered something he had wanted to do with Link anyway that day but forgot to ask: “Link...there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?” Link asked, his blue eyes shining in the sunlight. 

“But first…” Sidon bashfully looked away. Why was this so hard? “I would like you to accompany me for a swim this afternoon...if...if that’s alright, I mean.”

“Oh!” Link blinked several times, almost surprised by the question. Sidon’s heart thundered against his chest as he waited for an answer. This was it, this was his chance to finally tell Link, to say the words that had been hanging at the tip of his lips. The words that should’ve reached Link’s ears - oh, his adorable and delicate little ears! - by now. 

He could finally tell Link that he--

“Actually, I was thinking about heading back to Hateno this afternoon,” Link admitted, scratching the back of his head. He gave a playful, lopsided little smile that never failed to make Sidon swoon.

But in that moment, in that fleeting moment, Sidon felt his heart run cold as the floor caved underneath him. 

“What?” Sidon asked, his voice barely audible. “But...but why?”

“What?” Link asked, staring at Sidon in confusion. “It’s just that I need to run home and get some of my stuff--”

“Did I do something wrong?” Sidon asked foolishly. He kicked himself almost immediately after asking the question.

Did he do something wrong?! Of course he did! He  _ kissed Link _ ! Because he was a fool with low impulse control! Why on earth would Link want to stay?!

“You did nothing wrong!” Link insisted, laughing a little bit in what almost seemed to be disbelief, “It’s just...Sidon, I came here so abruptly and as of this morning I’m all out of underwear I just need to go back for a couple of days and then I’ll be back!”

“Link, if it’s because of my foolish actions this morning,” Sidon rattled nervously, not really hearing what Link was trying to tell him - or at least, not really  _ believing  _ what Link was trying to tell him. “I’m so sorry, please, it won’t happen again I just don’t know what came over me--”

“Sidon!” Link snapped, clapping his hands around the Zora’s cheeks and squishing them until Sidon shut his mouth. The prince looked at the disgruntled hero, blinking several times. Normally in such exchanges Sidon would have felt his heart racing, his thoughts bouncing around in his head struggling to find a focus as he nervously waited for Link to give him some advice or wisdom or assurance.

But now...he just felt so numb. 

“I’m only going to be gone for a few days,” Link insisted with a smile. “And then I’ll be back. Everything that’s happened this week, it’s been so sudden. In a good way - the best of ways! But if I’m going to be here with you...to help raise Nami, I mean, then I need pants.”

“Y-yes,” Sidon nodded. True, it was all very sound and logical it was just…

_ He needed to tell him _ .

“But Link, the reason I wanted you to come with me…” Sidon fought so hard to get the words out, “There’s...there’s something I need to tell you.”

The way the proud prince’s voice cracked as he spoke, how he couldn’t even make eye contact with Link, it was embarrassing. Still, despite his flub that morning, despite his continuous acts of disrespect, Link remained patient, he remained gentle and he asked, “What is it?”

“Link...I…” Sidon’s voice shook as he spoke. 

_ Tell him _ .

“You know you can tell me anything,” Link assured, “It’s okay.”

“I…”

_ Tell him _ .

With an overwhelming sense of grief, Sidon felt the entire world fall down on his shoulders as he muttered, “I hope you have a safe trip…”

Link’s head reared back slightly in surprise, “What?”

Instead of saying anything or just  _ fucking telling him _ , Sidon lifted Link’s hands from his face and rose to his full height, feeling absolutely sick to his stomach.

“Sidon, come on,” Link snarled a little, his ears drooping, “What did you need to tell me?”

He didn’t know why he lost faith, why such a logical need was such a low blow to his gut, but for whatever the reason, all Sidon could do was shake his head and fight to keep his composure as he shrugged, “It’s not important.”

If Sidon had had the courage to meet Link’s gaze, he would’ve seen the ripple of hurt that danced across Link’s expression. He would’ve seen the way Link’s heart visibly broke for just a moment, and the way his breath hitched slightly and his feet shuffled forward as he fought the overwhelming urge to return the kiss that he had been given earlier that morning. 

And yet...Sidon saw none of that. And for better or for worse (and in this instance, probably for worse) Link had better impulse control than the mighty Prince Sidon. 

When Sidon waved Link off, assuring the Hero that there was nothing to worry about that he was in good spirits, just a little tired; when Link insisted that he would be back in three days as he started to make his leave, the rift that had formed between them had grown so fast so quickly that Link worried Sidon wouldn’t be able to make the jump with those stumpy legs of his. 

But Link had made more daring leaps before during his long, high-risk life. 

In a moment of blind fate, Link turned back to Sidon and, in front of all the guards present at the Great Zora Bridge, he took hold of the prince’s hand, grabbed hold of the seemingly useless whistle around his neck (why did he have that thing anyway?) to pull him down, and pressed his lips firmly against Prince Sidon’s soft cheek. 

“Wh-Link!” Sidon jumped, flinching against the soft brushing of Link’s lips against his skin. Wide golden eyes turned to look at Link in shock and confusion, but Link could only smile and press his forehead to the prince’s.

“I promise you that I’ll be back,” Link said again.

“Well, I--pff, I know that!” Sidon stuttered, absolutely flustered by this public turn of events. 

“You don’t seem to believe me,” Link noted, fighting back the frown that traced his lips. “That’s why I want to make sure that you know.”

Sidon’s expression softened, his brilliant eyes almost melting they burned so bright. Link took in every detail of his face from his prominent brow to the tiniest of little scars on his lips that were the result of his nervous lip-biting habits. Though he still didn’t seem fully convinced, the glass shell that had been erected between them since that morning’s events was definitely cracking.

Sighing heavily, Sidon asked timidly, “Three days?”

“Three days,” Link nodded, his relief to overwhelming to contain his smile, “I promise.”

“Well,” Sidon looked away for a moment before he stood up fully and chuckled, that playful gleam returning as he said, “I’m holding you to that.”

“Yes, your highness,” Link teased, bowing playfully and reveling in the way Sidon covered his face and belly ached over the display.

“Oh will you stop that!” Sidon groaned. 

“Stop what?” Link asked, rising only to sign more clearly. “I’m just following orders, Sir.”

“No, no, no, that whole respect and grovelling thing looks weird on you, stop that,” Sidon waved Link off.

“Oh you want me to grovel?” Link waggled his eyebrows before getting on his hands and knees and wrapping his arms around Sidon’s legs. The prince, on the other hand, tried and failed to jump away from the ridiculous display, failing to mask his embarrassed smile with annoyance. 

“Go back to Hateno already so I can miss you!” Sidon finally snapped, using his size to overcome Link’s strength and finally pry the small man off of him. He had half a mind to just carry Link by the armpits to the other side of the bridge before setting him down to make sure he would actually take his leave, but given that he could hear the guards around him snickering, he decided against that and begrudgingly set Link down on his feet right where they were. 

“Your wish is my command, my liege,” Link saluted to Sidon as he turned to leave. Sidon could only fold his arms and roll his eyes, watching as Link crossed the bridge. 

...only to feel the faintest sense of alarm as he watched Link’s back get smaller and smaller.

“Wait! Link!” Sidon called out, hating how desperate he sounded and the way he pleadingly took a few steps forward. Link stopped and turned to face him one more time, his smile so bright it could breathe life into all of Hyrule without the aid of the Goddesses.

“Yeah?” Link called back.

Sidon felt his face twitching a little as he looked down, cringing a little as he realized that he had one more opportunity.

_ Tell him _ .

“I…” Sidon took a deep breath, and when his words failed him once again, he saw Link turning to face him fully out of his periphery.

...He couldn’t tell him. 

“Three days?” Sidon asked, feeling an odd sense of dread as he watched Link’s smile return even fuller. 

“Three days!” Link cheered, holding up three fingers for assurance. And with that, Link turned to make his leave, and even as the guards standing there started hooting and hollering the moment the Hero was out of earshot, Sidon felt like he had made a terrible mistake. 

For some reason, something deep in his gut told Sidon that Link wouldn’t be back in three days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God fucking dammit, Sidon. 
> 
> Link you dunce.


	32. The Turning Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nami makes a startling discovery, Link fucks up big time, and Sidon continues to be anxious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't expect the first part of this chapter to make a whole lot of sense right away unless you guys follow my tumblr and/or have read the little blurbs I've written about upcoming characters in the sequel to this fic. But don't worry I promise it will! 
> 
> Also brownie points if you know what was going on in the beginning of last chapter before reading this chapter A++ to you guys! 
> 
> Also also lookit me keeping up with this again! Hoo boy it feels so good to be writing consistently again!! Here's to hoping I'll be able to keep this up a little better when I'm done with training.

Minami knew that she should’ve waited in the main square for Dad to pick her up; she knew that’s what he meant when he told her to head straight home. 

But the fact of the matter was that he didn’t specifically say that and Nami had thought that as long as she beat him back to the main square before he got done with his meeting and came to pick her up she would be fine. Afterall, she had been too confused and too curious about what she had seen laying on the river banks during class that she couldn’t simply go home without investigating it.

Well...it wasn’t so much what she had seen as it was  _ who _ she had seen. 

He couldn’t have been much older than her, but he was so much bigger looking. 

And yet...Nami had a hard time keeping up with Dad’s pace as he marched her back home. She couldn’t stop thinking about his dark navy scales and violet face. Though she couldn't quite place why, he hardly even looked like a true Zora. 

But more than that he just looked  _ so scared  _ and she didn't know why.

“Hey Dad?” Nami finally asked, unable to get the images out of her mind. 

“Hm?” Dad grunted, sounded a little more irritated than usual. Honestly, Nami couldn’t tell if he was just that mad at her for wandering off while she waited for him to pick her up from school or if he was just out of sorts because Link probably wound up forgetting to tell Dad when he was leaving for Hateno.

It was probably both.

“Are there…” Nami didn’t quite know how to find the words, “Are there...other Zora?”

Dad narrowed his eyes, and she could tell by his expression that he had no idea what she was talking about.

“What do you mean by that, Nami?” he asked.

“Like…” Nami didn’t even know how to explain it, “Like...so there are Zora in the Domain…”

“Yes,” Dad nodded along.

“And...some Zora moved out along the rivers in smaller villages,” Nami continued, watching as Dad nodded along with her statements. “But all of them still...they’re still part of  _ us _ , right?”

“If you mean that all Zora, whether they live in the Domain or in the outer settlements are apart of our community, and our government, that is absolutely correct,” Dad said, “All of us are part of something much larger as we are tied together by our instincts and the bonds that we have as members of a very proud race. As the royal family it is our job to guide our people, because no matter where in the world we are, our people look to the crown for guidance and leadership--”

“Yeah yeah so the crown…” Nami pointed up at Dad, a switch flipping in her head, “So are there other Zora outside of all that? Like...that maybe aren’t part of the whole uhm...that aren't part of the Zora that follow that?”

Dad gave Nami a blank look, “I’m not sure I understand…”

“Like...ugggh, I don’t know…” Nami pounded her free hand to her head, “Oh wait! So you know how you talk about how we’re shark Zora? And everyone else are Mammal--Mamm--Mammaly--”

“Mammalian Zora?” Dad chuckled slightly as he corrected her pronunciation.

“Yeah that,” Nami nodded. She bit her lip as she thought about the phrasing of her next question. For some reason, despite what she had seen, the it still felt off to ask, “...is there a third type of Zora? That’s completely like...not even a part of us?”

The way Dad looked at her, as if he were completely baffled by her question, as if there was no way for him to keep everything Nami had ever known from being turned on its head, it made her reeeeally anxious. 

Finally, he did offer, “Well...there are stories of how the Rito are related to our people, however distantly--”

“No, Dad, I don’t mean the Rito,” Nami pleaded, almost wanting to beg him to to assure her that there wasn’t some kind of hidden secret that even her Dad and Grandpa - the two mightiest and most powerful Zora in all the world - didn’t know about. “I mean like  _ actual Zora _ . But like a different type of Zora that doesn’t do anything with the Domain.”

The most befuddled expression fell on Dad’s face when he took a few moments to ask, “What did they teach you in class today?”

“Huh?” Nami only felt even more confused, “Nothing! I mean...lots of stuff I just...I dunno, Dad…”

Coming to a halt, Dad knelt down closer to her eye level and gently ran a hand over the top of her head, “Well...I do apologize, my sweet, but I have no idea what you could be talking about. Is everything alright?”

Hearing her worst fears confirmed, Nami couldn’t keep her heavy sigh at bay as her heart fell and she said, “Yeah, Daddy...I was just curious is all…”

“Minami,” Dad’s voice was low and gentle, his eyes firm, “What’s wrong?”

Years later, when the puzzle pieces would finally come together, Princess Minami would spend sleepless nights lying awake and kicking herself for not telling her father what she had discovered right then and there, but in that moment it all just seemed so crazy and she was so young and so afraid of believing what she had seen to admit it out loud. Instead of telling him, instead of trying to make sense of the senseless, Nami shook her head and lied, “Nothing...we just learned about a civil war in class today is all and I was worried.”

“Oh, is that all?” Dad smiled warmly, “Well, there’s nothing to worry about, Sweetheart. It’s an old tale that happened long long ago before our people had even aligned with Hyrule. It's a bloody stain in our history but I don’t think any Race is without a story of internal skirmishes, and that’s okay. The important lesson to learn with that is that despite past differences we still came together and recognized what is important. We are better for it today because of our ancestors’ willingness to learn and grow from such conflict.”

“Yeah…” Nami nodded her head, something deep in her gut telling her that Dad was either lying or had been lied to. “That makes sense.”

“That’s good,” Dad kissed the top of her forehead and Nami tried to dismiss her thoughts then and there. “Come now, let’s work on getting that room clean, shall we?”

“Sounds good!” Nami nodded, forcing a smile as she redirected her thoughts to the task at hand. 

Still...Nami couldn’t help but wonder if that boy needed more than the leftovers from her lunch. 

 

* * *

Okay so Link might’ve taken more than three days to get his shit together.

In his defense, he needed to decide what to do about his horses. 

And also he needed to tell Bolson and Purah about his new daughter and King Dorephan’s blessing and his first (accidental) kiss. 

He also needed to tell all of Hateno apparently. 

In hindsight, maybe he should’ve been a little embarrassed that the first spoken words that most people in his village ever heard out of him were, “I kissed the Prince!!” but he was too high on life to really care.

That is, of course, until he got literally knocked upside the head with a dose of reality.

Really, Link had no excuse for getting as distracted as he did on the journey back to the Domain. He had made the trip so many times that he could probably make ride there in his sleep. And if he were to be brutally honest with himself, Link probably should have been more concerned about the fact that he was keeping Sidon waiting so long when he had been  _ so anxious _ that Link was leaving so abruptly.

(Nami was right, he should have said something to Sidon before setting out on his failed attempt to bring the goon flowers...)

But no, none of that occurred to him and it wasn’t until he looked up and found himself a little lost in mountainous terrain on a completely different course than he was used to that Link even thought to have a sense of urgency.

“Well fuck,” he spat to himself, feeling his ears droop a little. Groaning and cursing, Link dismounted his horse, allowing her to graze while he climbed up to a higher elevation to regain his bearings. 

Shit. 

Sidon was going to be pissed. 

The good news was, thankfully, that when he reached the top of a nearby cliff, he could clearly see the enormous architecture and waterfalls that made up the Zora’s Domain in the distance. He just needed to find the easiest route to scale back down the cliffs and follow the river the rest of the way and he would be back on track. 

It would just mean that he took six days to return instead of three.

Woops.

“Oh, Sidon’s going to be a nervous wreck when I get back,” Link groaned to himself, running a hand over his face.

“Yeah, he sure fuckin’ is.”

Link started to snarl something back in reply before he froze. 

He was by himself.

What was--?

Before Link could spin around and figure out what the fuck it was that had spoken to him, the hero was blindsided by a powerful blade that swung at him, slicing his arm before knocking him hard against a tree. The impact jarred him, and had it not been for how quickly his fight or flight reflexes kicked in, he most certainly would’ve been knocked unconscious and possibly killed.

“What the--!?” Link yelped as he drew the Master Sword and leapt back to his feet. His injured arm hung limp at his side, but Link didn’t want to bother to worry about how deep the wound was or what it looked like until he could assess the enemy that had attacked him so suddenly. When he did lock onto the large malicious form approaching him, its hooves digging into the ground ready to charge, the Hylian’s blood ran cold. 

_ A Lynel _ .

“You know, I swear you just get denser and denser with each reincarnation. It might be time for Lanayru to put in some of her input when they throw you back out into the world so you don’t keep charging blindly at Ganon with stupider and stupider tricks up your sleeve each time,” the beast sneered, its sharp teeth gleaming brightly.

Wait a minute...Lynels couldn’t--there was no way--

“What are…” Link started, but he couldn’t finish.

“What, you don’t remember me?” the Lynel scoffed, crossing its arms over its chest. “Well shit, didn’t think your short term memory was gonna go too. I thought for sure after I chased that Fish Boy of yours down that you two would’ve at least  _ talked _ about your shameless displays of affection by now.”

In a brief moment of clarity, Link’s heart stopped in his chest and his grip on his sword faltered. Standing up from his battle stance slightly, Link took in this Lynel’s appearance as the air rushed out of his lungs.

The Lynel that chased Sidon on his way to Hateno…

_ What the fuck. _

“Who the fuck are you!?” Link roared, raising his sword up at the beast. 

“My tragic backstory here isn’t what’s important,” the Lynel drew its own broadsword from its back, snorting a little. “What is important is that you have a date with Destiny,  _ Hero _ ...and you’re late.”

Link fought hard to keep his composure, to not let this monstrosity get to him. Never once had he ever seen a Lynel capable of speaking; clearly he was either being tricked or he hit his head that hard and needed to ignore whatever it was that was clouding his mind. As if it could sense his unease, however, the Lynel merely dug its hooves into the ground and prepare to charge as it threatened, “I wouldn’t be worrying about whatever game you think I’m playing with you. There’s a Blood Moon approaching, and you might find yourself in bigger trouble than you are now if you don’t follow the red thread to that pretty Prince of yours.”

 

* * *

On Day Six of waiting, Sidon had worried himself to the point of physical illness.

“My Prince, is everything alright?” Bazz had asked for the hundredth time that morning. Despite having lost all sense of belonging in the world and all of his breakfast, Sidon still forced himself to push through the day. If not for his own sake, then at least for Nami’s, considering the will to blindly tell himself that  _ today for sure _ Link would show up was quickly fading.

“Mmmm, yes, Bazz, everything is as well as it can be when the universe is crumbling around you,” Sidon droned without realizing what had come out of his mouth until the guard’s face literally paled in shock. 

“S-sir!” Bazz visibly leapt out of his scales, “Please, go see Madame Zeara, you do not sound like yourself today!”

“I don’t?” Sidon asked stupidly before the sudden sting of realization slapped him square across the face and he jumped, “I-I-I don’t! Please forgive me, Bazz! I really am not myself today!”

Instead of waving him off in relief that he had come back to his senses like the other guards would, Bazz knew Sidon too well and for too long not to ask, “What happened, Prince Sidon?”

As if he could get away with playing dumb, Sidon asked, “Whatever do you mean?”

“You just…” Bazz glanced down for a moment as if he were debating how to phrase his next statement given that he was trying to call the  _ Prince _ out on his behavior, “I’ve never seen you this way before, what’s going on?”

Sidon looked down, at a loss for words. If ever he was glad that someone would reach out to him in such a manner, Sidon certainly was glad that it was  _ Bazz _ of all people who would be so kind and so bold to do so. For the briefest moment, Prince Sidon felt like a little boy seeking his mentor out for guidance again as he sighed, “I’m at my wits end, Bazz...I’ve been wrestling with some personal matters and I simply do not know what to do anymore.”

To be frank, the prince had no idea what Bazz’s response would be but he never in his right mind imagined that the Captain of the Guard would  _ laugh _ and say, “Well, Link may be a lot of great things but punctual is not one of them.”

“What?” Sidon nearly choked when he snapped his attention to the soldier. “How did you--?!”

“He’s one of my best friends,” Bazz grinned with a shrug. “Even if he didn’t say anything outright, it’s plane to see how much he loves you, sir.”

“But I--”

“And also he  _ did  _ kiss you in front of several of my men earlier this week,” Bazz pointed out. “Don’t worry, I put a gag order so it didn’t leave the troops and you could make the announcement on your own accord...but you guys are kind of obvious…”

“But how--” Sidon spat, “You--we--Link is--I am so sorry for my rudeness but  _ what the fuck, Bazz? _ ”

Of all the things that Bazz had just revealed that he knew about him, Prince Sidon was almost offended that his use of the Eff Word is what alarmed the Captain when his eyes grew wide and his cheeks turned red as he sputtered, “I--sir!!”

“Oh what?” Sidon snarled back, placing his hands on his hips, “You reveal to me that you’ve  _ known _ about my feelings for Link, and therefore by default am attracted to  _ men _ and the thing that you’re going to react to is my choice of language in a stressful situation!?”

“No, sir I--” Bazz started but then he paused, took a deep breath, and met Sidon’s gaze so sincerely as he explained, “It’s just that you are more than just my prince, Sir. You’re my  _ friend _ . And you haven’t been yourself lately but more than that I haven’t seen you smile in two days and...well...knowing you so well to see that really worries me and I just want for you to be happy.”

The concern in Bazz’s voice gave Sidon such a gentle but firm reality check, that he couldn’t help but let his emotions slip through a little as his lip quivered and his eyes watered. “Wow...that’s...thank you, Bazz.”

“So…” Bazz said, forcing a smile as he clapped a hand on Sidon’s shoulder, “Don’t you worry about Link. It might take him double the amount of time he says it will, but he’ll be back!”

At that, the prince couldn’t help but give into the sliver of hope his mentor and right hand man offered him. He clung to it like a child as he smiled and said, “Thank you. Truly.”

The two Zora continued on their way through the palace after that, and without even talking about it, something about the sincerity in Bazz’s assurance relieved Sidon of his worries about something that stretched far beyond his conflicting feelings for Link. 

Something about it all told him that, despite what his advisors and his followers said about who he was  _ supposed to _ fall in love with, it was actually better that he had found his better half in the crass, disheveled Hylian man named Link.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit's gon' go down in this last arc.


	33. Blood Moon Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When it rains, it pours. When the blood moon rises, hell breaks loose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise bitch, bet you thought you saw the last of me.
> 
> I’M JUST KIDDING NO ONE HERE IS A BITCH I JUST LOVE YOU ALL AND WANTED TO MAKE A JOKE I AM ACTUALLY CRYING I AM SO HAPPY TO BE POSTING A NEW CHAPTER FINALLY OH MY GOD
> 
> I. I wish I had more to say in my notes but really, all I got at this point for you is the BIGGEST thank you for your patience. I know a lot of people worried that I abandoned this fic and I know with the passage of time several have probably phased out of the Sidlink life but to those of you who have stuck around, I couldn’t be more grateful for your continued love and support. I’ve had so much going on over the last six months and just knowing that I could come back to this story and all of you in due time has gotten me through more than I could say. So thank you, thank you so much. <3
> 
> In any case, I promise the time between the next update won’t be nearly as long. Consider this hiatus officially over!

“Sir, something is wrong with Vah Ruta.”

Sidon spun around in disbelief at that. That wasn’t possible. “What do you mean something is wrong with Van Ruta?”

“Well...it’s just silent sir,” the guard reported, “It’s silent but…”

The zora’s gaze trailed to the window and Sidon followed it, walking forward to see what was wrong and he paused in confusion. The beast was indeed silent; silent and pacing and red.

“Tell everyone to stay away from the reservoir,” he ordered, panic welling in his chest. He grabbed his trident from its holster, marching forward to check on the beast without a second thought or a second glance at his men who were hurriedly chasing after him asking if he had a plan or knew what the problem was.

The answer to both of those questions was a very definitive no. Regardless, he couldn’t have cared less.

If something was wrong with Ruta, that could only mean that something was wrong with Mipha as well.

“Oh no,” Sidon guffawed without even thinking of his surroundings.

“Sir…?”

“Ah!” Sidon jumped again, looking down at the young zora at his side. “Keep everyone away from the reservoir, I will go investigate the matter myself!”

“Yessir!” the guard nodded, marching off to relay his orders without hesitation. Sidon didn’t want to wait until the news and the prince’s orders reached his father, he couldn’t bare to think of how worried the old king would be.

No, Sidon was now much too worried about the fate of his sister to think of anything else.

* * *

The sun hung low in the sky as the lynel dug its hooves into the ground, preparing a charge, but that wasn’t what hollowed out Link’s chest in fear.

“What’s the matter?” the Lynel finally spoke out, as if it wasn’t lowering its stance. “Don’t ya got something to say?”

“Who--” Link started to ask, but the beast merely cut him off again.

“Please come up with a better question than that,” the Lynel sneered. Link could only feel his brow furrow, but his movements were too slow and the next thing he knew he was staring up at the evening sky.

Annnnd then hitting the ground. Hard.

“Keep your guard up!”

“The fuck do you want!?” Link finally yelled, leaping up to his feet, too stressed to be amazed at the fact that the Lynel was pausing to let him gain his bearings.

“Now that’s a better question,” the Lynel chuckled. “And what I want is simple. For you to get your goddamn act together.”

“Why!?!”

“Because you’re a trainwreck at risk of destroying the one bone the goddesses finally decided to throw at you, congratulations,” the Lynel grunted. Link only felt his confusion and panic growing so he acted as any other sensible Hero of Hyrule would:

He screamed like a maniac and charged forward towards his certain doom in hopes that something else might come of it.

* * *

The Divine Beast only grew to be more ominous as Sidon approached, something fowl and stale filling his gills as he swam through the reservoir and failing to filter out of his body as if he were traversing through muck. At first, he thought it was just his nerves getting the better of him, but when he pulled himself up onto the platform, Sidon found himself coughing and gagging on what should have been crystal clear waters.

What on earth?

“Miphaaa!” Sidon called out, triggering the lever to lift the platform he now stood on, heaving and coughing to try and catch his breath. “Mipha are you alright!?”

There was no response. In fact, it was crazy enough for him to be calling out to his long departed sister, but this just felt like madness on his part to be standing there calling out helplessly void of a response.

Ruta didn’t even respond to him either.

“Oh for the love of--” Sidon cursed under his breath, tripping the lever again and again but still nothing.

Ruta remained unmoving, the bright lights from within growing redder and redder.

“MIPHA!” Sidon roared again, coughing up something vile that had gotten trapped in his gills. Spitting it out like a heathen, Sidon cursed to himself and after another failed attempt at getting the platform to move, he settled for climbing the damn thing by himself. Limbs tired and vision hazy, he pushed himself over the edge, calling out his sister’s name. Part of him wondered if she had already departed, if stealing a kiss from the Hylian was enough to ease her spirit back into a well-deserved slumber. But the dark red glow from the beast and the burning in his gills told him he shouldn’t keep his hopes up.

The shuddering form of his sister huddled in the corner told him so as well.

“Mipha, Mipha, my sister what’s wrong?” Sidon asked, rushing to her side. As he approached, he could’ve sworn he heard soft whimpers escaping her. “Sister…?”

“DON’T TOUCH ME, BEAST!” She roared suddenly, spinning around to swipe at him with her claws, teeth bared, pupils dilated, growl low and daring. Sidon jumped back almost immediately. “I don’t care that Ganon is revived you will leave immediately!”

“Mipha…?” Sidon hesitated, taking a step back. “Mipha, it’s me—“

“STAY BACK!” She roared again, lunging forward and in but an instant she was striking him in the chest with her claws, the opening wounds that resulted stinging much more than they should have as he hissed and took a knee. Dazed, the prince didn’t have time to look up and react when she took another swipe at his face. In all honesty, Sidon wasn’t sure he had the emotional strength to keep his startled, childish yelp from escaping his lips either.

When his head hit the ground, however, Mipha finally hesitated, her form flickering slightly as she let out another cry and held her head for a moment. Blinking several times, his sister finally looked up with a moment of clarity and gasped, “S-Sidon…?! Sidon what happened!?”

“I could ask you the same…” Sidon groaned, sitting up, eyes struggling to adjust as he looked up at Mipha’s spectral form in the dim red light filtering into the Divine Beast. “Mipha, what happened? You weren’t yourself for a moment.”

“I…” Mipha looked down, “I don’t know...I thought—The Waterblight—I could have sworn it was here—“

Mipha paused, looking up for a moment, her eyes narrowing. Sidon tried to follow her gaze to the window but saw nothing other than the hues of red of the sunset that danced into the room. He looked back at her, however, and was surprised to note the look of dread in her expression.

“Mipha…?”

“Sidon,” Mipha finally met his gaze, her cheeks pale and her eyes glistening with fear, “You have to leave this place.”

“What—why—?”

“There’s no time, you must hurry,” she urged, pulling him up by the arm. Sidon tried to comply, he really did. But something gave him pause before he could stand. “Sidon!”

“I’m going, I’m going, I trust you, Sister,” Sidon hissed, rising to his feet. Luck, however, was far from on his side this evening.

The awful goop that filled his gills almost felt like they were clinging to everything inside, leaving him hacking and coughing in vain until he struggled to intake air. He could hardly catch his breath in time to realize that his sister was crying out his name before he lost consciousness.

* * *

 

The Blood Moon: an anomaly so vile and evil that most living creatures in Hyrule cowered in fear during its occurrence. An anomaly thought to be so dutifully tied to Calamity Ganon that no one dared think it possible to see it rise again after his defeat by the Hero’s sword.

But there were still those lingering in the shadows. Those who waited, bid their time, until their eventual chance to rise again.

And they were ready.

* * *

By the time Prince Sidon had reached the Divine Beast Vah Ruta, it had already been discovered that someone (or something) had laced the reservoir with poison, thus shutting off any and all waterways leading into the Domain until priests and healers could purify the waters.

However, there was little that could be done to actually reach the beast, and until then, the state of the beloved Zora Prince was unknown, and the soldiers tasked with tending to their prince shuddered in fear of that unknown, only able to trust that he either reached the beast before the waters had been poisoned or was apt enough to catch the change in water and sought out the source on his own.

The young princess, on the other hand, traversed downstream completely unaware of the impending danger, seeking out a new friend in dire need.

Or rather, in that specific moment, she was watching the strange looking Zora inhale the food before him as if he had never eaten a good meal before in his life. She observed his features, his navy, dulled scales, his black-set golden eyes, and the long spine that extended out from the top of his head, giving way to a large fan-like fin that traced his back in place of a tail.

“So what’s your name, anyway?” She finally dared to ask.

He let out a snarl back in her direction.

“I’m Nami,” she said anyway.

The boy looked up, swallowed an entire mouthful, and rumbled, “You’re the princess.”

“Mmhmm,” she nodded. “Of the Zora, at least.”

“You aren’t my princess,” he muttered back.

“But…” Nami tried to say, but she found herself giving up on trying to reason with him. For whatever reason, whereever he came from, they didn’t consider themselves part of the Domain. “So where are you from then?”

“None of your business.”

“Then why are you here?”

At that, the boy looked up at her, spitting a bone out from the entire chicken leg he practically inhaled, he snarked, “I told you. I got lost.”

“Do you need help going back?”

He looked down, glanced back up at Nami, and instead of actually answering her he just very tentatively admitted, “You shouldn’t go swimming in the river right now.”

“Why not?”

“Cause,” he grunted, standing abruptly as soon as he finished his meal. He also took the bag in hand that Nami had given him, “It’s a bad idea. Go home.”

“Well what about you?”

“I’m going home.”

Nami let out a frustrated growl. Just when she thought she could make a new friend, she feels like she’s talking to a wall again. With a huff, she rose to walk home, because any attempt to jump into the stream to follow her usual route, he’d stop her with a growl and shooting his arm out.

“Okay, okay, I’m walking, geez,” Nami rolled her eyes. The boy eyed her suspiciously until she finally stepped away from him. “See you later.”

He paused, and for a moment Nami thought he wouldn’t even part ways with her.

“Tipf.”

“What?”

The boy bit back a snarl, but with the faintest sense of solidarity, he elaborated, “My name is Tipf.”

* * *

It started with a low tremor in the earth, the Zora on hand staying on guard and ready to attack whatever awaited them. They just hadn’t expected the coming onslaught to come from the water.

The moon rose high into the sky, burning brighter and redder amongst the night sky, what normally illuminated the Domain so elegantly, left the scenery before them ominous, dark, and difficult to see in.

That which wholeheartedly put the proud Zora at a serious disadvantage, it wasn’t until one of them breached the surface near the shore that Bazz was the first to see it: “LOOK OUT!”

He reacted quicker than he had time to truly take aim, an arrow bouncing off the white mask with seemingly no impact as the Yiga before him lunged out of the depths of the water and attacked. The motion caught Bazz off guard for the briefest of moments as he was knocked back, but he didn’t give himself time to question why Yiga were randomly sprouting out from the reservoir or how they were even able to hold their breath underwater for so long as several more came out and launched their attack in droves. The guard merely drove his fist into his assailant’s skull until he finally was able to knock him off and unconscious.

Or...at least he thought he was unconscious.

Bazz sat up on his knees, grabbing his sword, ready for battle, searching for a new enemy to take out when the Yiga rose from the ground slowly, groaning before he lurched forward in a heap. The guard paused. This was...unnatural.

Bazz crouched low, letting out a snarl before unleashing his own attack to take out the enemy once and for all. He wouldn’t dare let any of these bastards take any of his people out, especially not when Prince Sidon was nowhere to be found. He struck the Yiga with his sword, his fist, used his imposing size and strength to take him, and several others that came to their comrades aid out.

The true horror, however, didn’t occur until Bazz took out the last of the group, knocking his mask off as he crumpled to the ground. The Zora turned, letting out a snort in preparation for more, but a loud snap as the Yiga crumpled to the ground gave him an odd sense of reprieve, if only for a moment. And it was in that moment when he noticed one fallen enemy’s mask sliding off, cracked. It gave him pause, Bazz couldn’t help but blink. He knew that the Yiga were close relatives to the Sheikah, not too different from your average Hylian, so he never wondered what would lie between the masks. And yet…

Something didn’t look right.

Taking the hilt of his sword, Bazz knocked the broken part of his mask off to reveal the lower end of a dislocated mandible, the visible parts of the skull molded and covered in seaweed. It wasn’t long after when the other members of the royal guard began noticing the same thing, haunted screams echoing in the distance. In that moment, time stood still, and Bazz looked up at the crimson moon hanging in the sky.

Where in the world was Prince Sidon!?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let’s see what the Unierse Lynel has in store for Link in the next chapter. 
> 
> (Also I’m sorry if this chapter isn’t very long, my laptop died and Google Docs on my tablet don’t give me a page count so I have no clue how much reading material I just shoved at y’all)


	34. He’s Dying to See Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon fights against himself
> 
> Link fights against the Lynel
> 
> The Zora fight for their lives under the blood moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know...whenever I finish one chapter I think, “Surely this battle will end by the next chapter”
> 
> And then I remember everything else I have to get through in this. Long. Long climax. 
> 
> The hiatus gave me too many ideas to play with and I’m excited. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Sidon couldn’t remember being knocked unconscious, but he did remember coming to to the sounds of a horrible, sopping, hissing noise ringing throughout Vah Ruta’s chambers.

The Zora prince opened his eyes, tentative to sit up against the throbbing weight against his chest as he surveyed his surroundings. There was no time to process what was before him. There was no time to even question it.

The blight, haunting and emaciated and leaking venom from its body, flickered and hissed, and just as Sidon braced himself for it to launch itself towards him in attack, it let out a roar so loud it distorted Sidon’s vision.

And then in the next moment he was staring at a little girl with Hylian ears and Snow White hair, her crimson eyes crying the black iquor that had been leaking from the blight’s body, an angry red glow seemingly emitting from the vessels of blood that resided underneath her pale skin. To say Sidon was unnerved would have been an understatement.

“Who—“ the prince breathed, his voice falling off his tongue in almost a frail echo, “Who are you!? What do you want!?”

The sounds of a child crying within the chambers suddenly ceased and were replaced with a near haunting giggle as the child looked up, expression unchanged. She blinked a few times, as if she recognized him, and then her venomous tears only continued to well in her eyes as she grinned widely, sadly, the red hues of Twilight covering her sillouhette almost entirely.

“ _Watch your back~”_

Sidon straightened, his guard lowering only slightly in his confusion, but when the girl’s gaze shifted to his shoulder, his instincts screamed at him to turn, and he barely had the time to react to an image of himself, adorned in fine Zora regalia all the way down to the crown, lunging forward before he was struck down by his own trident.

* * *

Several spin attacks later, Link felt as if he had hardly done any damage to the illustrious Lynel in front of him. Yet standing there in the dim red light of the blood moon, staring down the beast currently leaning against his battle ax with one hooved foot crossed nonchalantly over the other, he felt as if there was nothing left in the tank as the swelling and bruises and opened wounds covering his body overwhelmed his senses.

Great, he was gonna die and he never had the chance to tell Sidon how much he—

“Are you done yet?” The Lynel barked. “Come on now, you’re wasting all your strength trying to take me down — like that is going to even happen I mean come on! — when your boyfriend is fighting for his life to protect the Domain!”

“He’s not—“ Link huffed, but was knocked sideways by the cool, flat surface of a fat ax, feeling his already black eye starting to crack in the orbital socket.

“I’m sorry, what was that?! I hope you were going to say that you think he’s not fighting for his life! Because that’s a much easier correction to make,” the Lynel let out almost a roar of a yawn, his thick, sharp teeth just about pouring out of thin lips that could barely hold them back.

“He’s not—“ Link huffed, staggering back to his feet, his vision either red from the blood dripping down his forehead or the moon he couldn’t be sure, “my boyfriend—“

“WRONG!”

Another swing, a hit, and Link had a feeling he was unconscious for at least a couple of seconds.

“You awake yet? The clock is ticking, jackass!” The Lynel sneered with his hands on his hips just watching Link crawl back up onto his hands and knees. His elbows buckled underneath his own weight, his vision hazy. Link spat out the blood pooling in his mouth and he told himself he couldn’t let out a sob in front of this monster.

“I can’t—“ Link braced himself on the Master Sword after digging it into the ground for balance. “I can’t die here.”

“Hmmm, you’re the chatty one today, that’s odd for the Hero,” the Lynel noted, and then after a moment tipped his head to the side and added, “Mostly.”

“Listen here, you fucker—“

“Just as fowl-mouthed as the others though.”

“I don’t give a FUCK about what the other so-called heroes do or don’t do, you damn cock face!” Link snarled, staggering backwards as he forced the sword back out of the ground and pointed it towards the Lynel with shaky arms. “YOU AREN’T GONNA TAKE ME DOWN TODAY!”

The Lynel blinked for a moment, and then grinned all the wider, “And why is that?”

Instead of answering outright, Link charged again with what little strength he had left and swung his sword with all his might, not bothering to care how uselessly it bounced off the beast’s ax and shield. If he was going to go down, he might as well go down fighting.

“THAT’S NOT AN ANSWER!” The Lynel roared, striking down on Link, running his ax into the Hylian’s shoulder and just watching him crumple to the ground. “Your duty is fulfilled! Ganon is dead! For what purpose do you even still have to live!?”

“I HAVE A DAUGHTER AND HER FATHER AT HOME WAITING FOR ME YOU FUCK!”

“Now we’re getting somewhere!” The Lynel laughed maniacally, kicking at Link’s ribs with his hooves. “What’s so special about this father of hers?!”

“HE’S—“ Link started but he coughed as the wind rushed out of him with another kick, knocking him around like a useless doll, “I’M NOT LEAVING HIM BEHIND!”

“WHY!?”

“BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!” Link roared, pulling his body up to try and block a finishing blow with his sword, bracing for the end.

And yet there was no ending.

Instead, the Lynel stopped his attack mid-swing, and when Link looked back up, he was still grinning, eyes glowing. He raised his ax back up and rested the handle on his shoulder. With a snort he said, “There we go. Now why don’t we go back and save your fish prince so you can tell him that in person. The name’s Lionel by the way.”

* * *

Chaos had already broken loose by the time Minami returned to the Domain. At first, she couldn’t tell why everyone was screaming and running and trying to usher her back to the entrance she just came in through, but when she saw the army of Yiga entering the city from the reservoir, her blood ran cold.

“What—“

“Princess!” Muzu grabbed hold of Nami, pulling her into his arms. “You must evacuate immediately!”

“But what’s happening!?” She shrieked, “Where’s Dad!? Where’s Grandpa!?”

“I know not where Prince Sidon is, but King Dorephan is defending his people towards the frontlines,” Muzu pressed, trying to get her away from the chaos. “Princess Minami, you must leave this place! Evacuate with the others, child!”

“But—! But my Dad—!”

“He was at the reservoir near Ruta when anyone saw him last, he should be fine!”

For whatever reason, hearing that Dad was with the Divine Beast caused little Nami’s heart to stop in her chest.

“You shouldn’t go swimming right now…”

Nami gulped loudly, and the strangest feeling overcame her when she overheard a small group of priests and healers crying out hysterically that they couldn’t find any purification or healing tonics in their store room.

There was no forethought or second thoughts when she broke away from her teacher’s arms, sprinting at a mad pace towards the reservoir, yelling for her father and grandfather and praying that they would be okay.

* * *

The hoards of undead Yiga weren’t just multiplying in number, they couldn’t be struck down at all. No amount of cutting or slashing or drowning could leave an enemy down for more than five minutes.

“This isn’t making any sense,” Bazz huffed, running his trident through the eye socket of the same Yiga he had thought he killed at least three times by now. “When creatures have risen at the blood moon before, they haven’t been zombified and they haven’t been able to just...come back!”

“They did once,” King Dorephan lifted the trunk of a large tree from its root sand swung expertly at an entire line up of Yiga, snapping several at the spine with the brute force of it all. “You were but a child, Captain. This is the exact same thing that happened during the Great Calamity.”

“So how do we beat them!?”

“We can’t,” Dorephan let out a ferocious growl, kicking another Yiga into the reservoir. “We simply have to survive until sunrise when the blood moon can’t fuel whatever their power source is.”

“Survive—“ Bazz felt his voice catch as he looked out to the night sky, the moon not even at its highest point yet. All the while, more bodies crawled out from the waters, some luring his fellow Zora into the shallows before pulling an unfortunate soul underneath; not one soldier had come back up to the surface after being grabbed. “And how many of us are going to die between now and then?”

King Dorephan, proud and strong, did not have an answer for the young captain. And as he roared ferociously at the next hoard of monsters approaching, Bazz could have sworn he heard his majesty’s grief-stricken sobs hidden behind the ferocious declaration.

* * *

Link had to admit, working on the same team as a Lynel was way better than facing off with one as an enemy.

The only downside of Lionel’s swift pace was that Link was having a hard time recovering from their earlier fight as he was bounced around on the beast’s back, his horse galloping obediently behind.

“So if your goal was to just get me to fess up to Sidon,” Link finally huffed as the cool night air blowing against his face sobered him up ever so slightly. “Why the hell did you have to kick the crap out of me when the Domain is in danger?!”

“I couldn’t just let you go back so balls deep in denial that you live out the rest of your life in hallow remorse!”

“SO WHY DID YOU TRY TO KILL ME!?”

Lionel shrugged, “My employer is a firm believer that a little roughing-up builds character.”

“So you try and kill me!?”

“Roughing-up! There’s a difference!”

Link felt his jaw set firmly in a scowl, not wanting to have anything more to do with this nightmare. Instead, he couldn’t help but ask, “So who’s your employer?”

“An old friend of Hylia’s. Well...kind of.”

Link simply rolled his eyes at that, and he had a feeling Lionel had no intention of revealing any more information than that and a few vague, unrelated details interspersed.

“A friend of Hylia’s.”

Lionel started to grunt, but like he had done so many times, his head tilted to the side for a moment and he preened, “Weeeeell...if I were to get into specifics I’d say more a friend of Zelda’s than Hylia’s. Specifically.”

“Zelda.”

“Yep!”

“So if I were to go ask Zelda,” Link felt his nose pinching. This was just fucking peachy, “she would be able to confirm for me that some friend of hers just...randomly sent a Lynel after me to kill me!”

“Weeeeeeell!”

“LIONEL!”

“I don’t mean your Zelda! A different one! There’s more than one Zelda on the Hyrule family tree you know.”

“Then who the fuck is—“ Link started to ask, but he was nearly flung off of Lionel’s back as the beast skidded to a halt, taking a wild swing of his ax at several masked figures leaping out of the trees above them. They all crumpled in an instant, hitting the ground with a large thud in moments.

“You can ask me the unimportant questions later, Hero,” Lionel grinned. “But your people need you.”

* * *

When Sidon awoke again, he was surrounded by a vast, empty expanse. Which is to say, he wasn’t really surrounded at all. He just felt like he was being suffocated.

Sidon attempted to rise to his feet only to find that he was already standing. He looked down, a heavy weight settling on his heart. What had just happened?

“ _Why would you attack her?”_

The prince flinched, turning at the sound of his own voice. That couldn’t be right—who—?

The prince then paused, staring at what seemed to be his own reflection. It moved as he moved, waved as he waved. But the Zora before him looked older, tired, and angry.

“I beg pardon?” Sidon found himself asking hesitantly. To think, just hours ago he was lamenting over his unrequited love for a Hylian and now this was happening. Perhaps this was karma punishing him for not acting on his heart and his instincts when he had the chance.

“ _The child,”_ his reflection snarled, “ _Why did you attack her!?”_

“As I seem to recall,” Sidon growled, recognizing the jewels and armor adorning his look-alike, “You attacked me! That child - if that’s what we can call it - was left unharmed!”

For whatever reason, Sidon’s words did not sit well on the strange reflection in front of him as it scoffed in disgust.

“ _Your intention was to attack_ ,” he snarled back. “ _If not kill. Have you no mercy for an innocent child?!”_

“She was a blight moments before!” Sidon defended, “What does it matter! Who even was she!? What was she!? Who and what are you!?”

Sidon’s reflection, for lack of a better term, looked downward, his anger briefly replaced with a deep sorrow before he looked back up, and for whatever reason Sidon felt empty on the inside.

“ _What she is,_ ” it said, “ _Doesn’t matter. But who she is…well...decide for yourself before you raise your sword again._ ”

Sidon found himself asking what exactly that meant, but instead of answering him, his reflection turned his head, and when Sidon followed his gaze he saw his sister calling out his name in a panic, begging for him to wake up. Sidon stood there confused, trying to respond to her but to no avail. And then he blinked, and suddenly he wasn’t standing anymore, but rather laying on the ground feeling a weight crushing his chest as Mipha shook him awake.

“Sidon! Sidon, please wake up, brother! The Domain is under attack!” She begged, “Sidon I can’t heal you anymore you have to wake up on your own!”

“Mipha…” Sidon gasped, only to gasp louder and more painfully as he tried to take in air but failed to get the oxygen his body was so desperately begging for. “What—“

“Oh, Sidon, I think you’ve been poisoned!” Mipha’s golden eyes were wide with fear. “You have to get out of here!”

“But—“ Sidon tried to speak but only found himself coughing, “What’s happening—“

There was really no time for his sister to give him an answer before he looked up and found other figures in the cavern with him. Other figures that had been paying him no mind as if he had been deemed a corpse, but were now springing to action to address the sudden threat.

“Shit,” Sidon spat, not even caring to note how Link was rubbing off on him. Or how Link would have laughed to hear him cursing like this. Or how there was a pretty good chance he wouldn’t be coming out on the other side of this fight to see Link again.

No, he told himself, he couldn’t think like that. He had to live. He had to fight. He had to see Link. He had to see Minami. He wasn’t going to leave either of them behind. Not today.

“Fowl beasts,” Sidon growled, sucking in as much air as his body would let him take in without coughing up the iquor that sat deep in his lungs. “You will pay for defiling Vah Ruta like this!”

As Sidon charged forward in attack, he wasn’t sure what surprised him more: the fact that the Yiga Clan had made such a swift return so suddenly, or the fact that most of these beings in uniform were nothing but hollowed bone and rotting flesh behind the masks and armor. But he couldn’t focus on that, or the fact that after a few moments the dismembered bodies would simply pick themselves back up and keep going. All that mattered to Sidon was that he reach the main console and regain control of the Divine Beast, in however way he could.

Which was partly why he found himself so caught off guard when his trident struck something solid when it impacted one enemy’s arm.

“You’re alive!” Sidon noted as the Yiga withdrew their wounded limb and blocked his subsequent attack with their scimitar.

“For now,” a woman’s voice spoke from behind the mask, “But soon you won’t be.”

“But why!?” Sidon snarled, taking advantage of her wound and striking her in succession on her weak side before picking her up by the collar and throwing her across the room. He paused, waiting to see if she was out or would yield, but when she picked herself back up and readied her stance, he asked, “Ganon is destroyed, the Beasts are in our hands now and they yield to no one but the champions! What could you possibly gain by throwing your life away here in combat!?”

“Well your head, for one, Prince Sidon,” the woman chuckled. “But we aren’t after the beasts. At least not yet.”

Before Sidon could question or attack further, a second living Yiga cried out as he charged, and Sidon didn’t have time to react before he was roaring in pain as the Yiga firmly dug a harpoon into the prince’s side, leaving him weak in the knees and dizzy without air. Sidon fell to the ground and forward, any attempt to raise his weapon or even simply breathe around the obstruction in his gills in vain and all he could try to do at this point was survive and stay conscious. He tried everything: pull the harpoon out, rise to his feet, trip the two living ones as they walked past him, throw his trident, just reach for the console to activate Ruta. Yet each attempt at movement left his body failing more and more as he crumpled further against the ground. As he faded in and out of consciousness, he could hear the woman above him laughing.

“Some prince he is,” she kicked at his side, “Who was it that suggested mounting Zora tails? It might look good in our new house!”

“Not now, Love, we still have a job to do.”

“Please, we’ve won the day, we can take our time.”

“Not if that Hero shows up, now hurry and extract the Blight before the Blood Moon ends. The Beta are counting on us to get this done tonight.”

“Hey,” the woman paused, her voice suddenly so much more gentle that Sidon found an eye slipping open in confusion as he watched in even more confusion when she seemingly removed her mask and leaned towards the other Yiga, “If this thing kills me, you know I love you, right?”

“Of course I do. Now extract it already.”

“How romantic…”

Sidon’s vision darkened, and he cursed himself at the irony. Of course fate would continue to kick him while he was down. Of course these vial villains would have a chance to share a loving embrace and lean on each other as they attempted to pursue an unthinkable danger, while he lay there alone and dying without having ever taken the chance to properly profess his love to the man that made his life worth fighting for.

If only he could’ve stayed awake to see an equally battered Link climbing into the caverns of Vah Ruta yelling out his name, taking on his opponents without fear as he screamed at the Yiga to stay away from his boyfriend. But somewhere, outside of Vah Ruta, away from the Domain and standing on the cliffside overlooking the battle, Lionel found himself laughing, glancing over to the shadows tracing the ground beneath him.

“I gotta say though, this wouldn’t have made as good a story if there hadn’t been at least one near-death experience in the climax, right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like this story? Want to help fuel my coffee addiction and possibly sponsor a totally cool original story project that I will be sharing after the conclusion of this series? Please consider donating to my ko-fi at ko-fi.com/majesticallyfangirling!


	35. What Binds Them Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fateful encounter. 
> 
> A decision to be made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I add a shit load of exposition in the end of a fic, you may ask? Well, I have no self-control for one and for another I have been WAITING SINCE THIS FIC’S INCEPTION OVER A YEAR AGO TO GET TO THIS POINT IN THE GAME. 
> 
> Did I go through five thousand interations of How this confrontation that Sidon goes through pans out? Absolutely. 
> 
> Anyway, hopefully this is where the stressing starts to end until you get to the sequel that all this bullshit exposition is for. :D

_There would be moments, in Prince Sidon’s not so distant future, where the sounds of childlike giggles would send a shiver down his spine no matter how much his heart warmed when he knelt down to pick up his little girl and bounce her in his arms. There would be times, when the nights became more harrowing and fate seemed to drift away from his family’s side, when Sidon would hear his daughter’s sweet little giggles and he would find himself jumping had he been too far lost in thought about the unknown._

_And standing there, when he heard the stranger in the mist laughing in his face as he drifted in the space between life and death would be precisely why that would come to be the case._

_“Uh-ohhhh, Link’s little Fishy kicked the bucket it seems!”_

_Sidon turned, but no amount of movement or surveys could orient him to his surroundings. The mist was vast, endless, impossible to see through, and that was enough to nearly drive him mad._

_“Who’s there!? Show yourself!”_

_“Ohhhh what’s the matter? Afraid of the dark?”_

_Sidon could only respond with a growl, just annoyed enough to point out, “It is hardly dark in here, don’t be a coward and reveal yourself!”_

_He could barely make out the faintest shadow of a woman flickering through the mist as she snickered again. His eyes hardly had time to register her movement before he felt something piercing through his gills, leaving him breathless all over again._

_“What are your intentions!?”_

_“Did you know that girl?” The woman asked. Sidon winced, the empty feeling in his lungs causing him to fall to his knees._

_“What girl?” He gasped, only to cry out again when the shadow flickered and he could have sworn he felt a hand grip whatever weapon had been jabbed into him and push it further in before ripping the weapon back out. Sidon howled, and that only seemed to insight the girl’s laughter further._

_“The one from your vision, idiot,” she hissed, and with the snapping sound of her fingers, a little white-haired girl appeared in front of him._

_“Dad…!” She whimpered. “I want my Dad!”_

_For some reason, Sidon only realized he had reflexively readied himself for battle until he dropped his stance, feeling his heart fall for the child. As if on instinct, he tried to get up and offer assistance - if his sweet little Minami were lost and alone and crying in a misty void crying out for him, he’d want someone to help her too - but his body was too spent to move._

_“She can’t hear or see you,” the woman spoke into his ear, “Her destiny is not linked to yours. At least not yet.”_

_“Then what is she doing here?” Sidon let out a low growl; he was growing tired of asking questions and receiving little to no answer._

_“Same thing that you are,” the woman answered, and in another flicker of her shadow, the woman appeared in the flesh, just before him, and Sidon could not quite describe just how beautiful she was. Red eyes piercing into his very soul, she cupped his face in her hands and grinned, “You’re both dying.”_

* * *

 

“SIDOOOON!” Link roared, his heart stopping in his chest the moment his eyes locked onto the Zora laying on the ground. Running his sword through several undead monsters as he sprinted forward towards the two seemingly more coherent ones near Vah Ruta’s console. “What the fuck did you do to him!?”

“Oh so the Hero can speak,” the broader one noted in disdain.

“Tal, stop him!” The woman ordered as she placed her hands on the console, “We don’t have much time.”

“We have until sunrise,” the man lowered his stance, drawing out a sickle, “That’s plenty of time to kill the Hero and his pet Champion.”

Whether Sidon was rubbing off on him or he was just in a mood and pretty certain he had a broken rib somewhere after his fight with Lionel, Link let out a low growl and snarled, “He’s not a pet he’s my fucking BOYFRIEND!”

Annnnd then he charged blindly forward.

And okay, so he got cut across the face and kicked to the ground several times before he actually surveyed his surroundings and the enemies before him, but he was fine. He could handle this!

Kneeling down, Link braced against his sword and raised his shield to block the Yiga’s attacks before pushing him back and knocking him off his balance. Taking the opportunity to get the better of him, Link struck the Yiga in the arm with the Master Sword while knocking him across the head with the shield. As he dropped his sickle, Link hooked his foot under it and kicked it away before taking another swipe at the Yiga, only to miss just barely as he rolled away towards Sidon.

The Yiga groaned as he sat back up, the female Yiga crying out for him but otherwise unmoving from the console. It was a split second choice, but Link tried to take the chance to attack her while she was vulnerable. She flinched, over course, but whatever magic she was trying to channel rendered her unable to move. One blow and he could have saved Hyrule for a second time before what he later realized was the Blight had a chance to take hold.

And yet…

“Lay one hand on her and Prince Sidon dies!” The male Yiga barked, and of course that led to Link skidding to a halt, pausing with his sword raised mid-air. Daring to turn his head, he found the man knelt over Sidon’s body, hand firmly gripped around a harpoon buried deep into his side.

“Don’t you dare—“ Link started, turning his attention completely away from the woman. He knew it was a mistake as he moved, and the woman only reaffirmed it as she yelled, shooting some kind of beam at him, knocking him off kilter as his shoulder was suddenly frozen in a block of ice. Link howled, dropping his shield, but he managed to still turn back towards her and raise his sword. And yet…  
  
Turning hesitantly towards the Yiga by Sidon, the enemy taunted him by giving the harpoon a tug.

“NO! DON’T!” Link roared.

“You kill her, and I kill him. Take your pick,” the Yiga threatened. Link found himself glaring separately at each of them, eyeing the energy that was coming off of the console and the agonizing creaks that came from Ruta in response. Somehow, something was still sealed inside of the Divine Beast and the Yiga Clan knew how to get to it. What it would do? Link couldn’t be sure, but he knew it couldn’t be good and there was something that made him sick to this stomach when the man added, “What will it be, Hero? Hyrule? Or your pet?”

No.

No, this couldn’t be right. He couldn’t—they were Yiga. There was no way they were honestly capable of bringing about a disaster that he was suggesting to be plotting. But furthermore there could just be no fucking way that he was honestly being pinned against the way like this. He was the Hero. His duty was to protect the world. When it came down to it, there was no question what his choice should have been. His choice should always be Hyrule. But…

A hollow feeling settled in the pit of Link’s stomach as he glanced over to where Sidon still lay unconscious. He remembered a similar feeling when the Yiga first attacked the Domain; their target hadn’t changed. They still wanted Ruta and they still wanted Sidon’s head for it. And it was true, protecting Ruta was the secret to protecting the world.

But a world without Sidon simply wasn’t a world worth living in.

Link was tired, he couldn’t keep doing this anymore. So feeling like a failure, he lowered his blade and muttered, “Let him go.”

The Yiga responded with laughter, “Actually, I changed my mind.”

To the sound of Link’s own screams, he ripped the harpoon out of Sidon and the Hylian was helpless to watch the color drain from the Zora as his blood drained out.

* * *

“ _So,” the woman grinned as she drifted away and floated into the air to seemingly lay on her back, “You and the Hero, huh?”  
_

_Sidon let out a low growl, “I do not have time for this!”_

_“Sweetie, you got nothing but time,” she retorted, “You know how I said you were dying?”_

_“Yes and I need to stop doing that—“_

_“Yeah, you’re now dead.”_

_Sidon paused. Sidon then turned to the woman (ghost?)_

_“WHAT!?”_

_“Oh yeah,” she noted, leaning back in thin air. “You bled out.”_

_“No!” Sidon guffawed, spinning around. He turned to where the crying girl had been - she disappeared - and pulled his sword out. “I can’t be dead! I—no!”_

_“Well, I mean you’re only a little dead,” she shrugged. “If you had a fairy on hand you could fix yourself.”_

_“Well, I’m not one to carry fairies now, am I?” Sidon snapped back sarcastically._

_“I don’t know your life,” the woman shrugged. The Zora prince could only glower at her as she drifted around him lazily. “Tell me this though...why do you wanna live?”_

_“Why do I—“ Sidon was at his wits end, “Oh gee, I don’t know, maybe I have a daughter waiting for me to come home!? My father would probably like it if he didn’t lose his entire family? The Domain kind of needs a future king? Take your pick!”_

_“Yeah but all those concerns have solutions,” the woman shrugged, a devilish smile on her face. “I mean, your daughter is used to being orphaned. Your father is used to burying his family. They have each other. You tried to martyr yourself before and said it would be okay if you died because she’d make a better queen than you.”_

_Honestly, if he wasn’t already dead, Sidon was very sure he would have an aneurism at this point as his jaw fell slacked and he tilted his head in her direction. Instead of pointing out that apparently she did know his life, Sidon guffawed, “Who even are you!?”_

_“Someone like you,” she shrugged. “Just from a different place and a different time. Different Hero too.”_

_“Hero...as in Link?”_

_“Yep.”_

_Somehow, that made sense to Sidon. But somehow, that felt like a bit of a kick in the shin to be dead and staring the ghost of Link’s former partner in the face. Evidently, the mixed feelings on his face showed as the woman scoffed in his direction, “Oh please, don’t give me that look. My Link is different from your Link. Yours is gayer.”_

_For whatever reason, Sidon felt a little offended. “You say that as if Link is some kind of commodity we can pick from at a buffet.”_

_“I mean, they kind of are,” she noted, “There’s more than one Hero in history. Or I should say, the Hero’s spirit is reincarnated over and over again, sure, but each child born with the heart of the Hero is fundamentally different.”_

_Sidon felt his brow furrowing at that. “I’m not sure I follow.”_

_“Hmmmm, you know how cats have nine lives?”_

_“No?”_

_“Why does Link even like you!?”_

_“You know I’ve been asking myself the same thing for quite some time now!”_

_With a swift motion, the woman smacked Sidon clear across the head._

_“What!?” Sidon snarled back._

_“Stop that, I was being cheeky!”_

_Sidon had lost his patience long ago and if for no other reason than to let out his pent up anger, he nearly attacked her out of spite. Yet if his warning growls gave any indication that he was on the verge of snapping completely, she merely waved it off and continued floating lazily around him with her arms crossed, continuing, “The Hero’s spirit is an envoy of the Goddess Hylia. There is no way around it; he lives to serve Her will and protect the sacred realm, yada yada, bullshit bullshit the Hero exists simply to keep Ganon at bay. He gets reincarnated over and over again, but the man that is born and assumes the power of the Hero is his own person.”_

_“But they are each linked by the Hero’s spirit,” Sidon noted, recalling the stories of old that consumed his childhood._

_“Hence the name,” the woman snickered a little bit, leaning her head against the palm of her hand. “My point is, you needn’t worry about your chances with your Link knowing that I’m around. I have my hero. You have yours.”_

_“But if their souls are linked as you say,” Sidon glanced down, “then what happens when—if Link dies?”_

_“He sits in waiting until he’s called upon again,” the woman shrugged simply._

_“But—“ Sidon was having a hard time wrapping his head around everything, “So is the afterlife just endless isolation?”_

_“Well, fuck I thought I was keeping you company!” The woman snapped back, “And no. I told you, you’re only kind of dead. You’re in a holding space in waiting.”_

_“For what?”_

_“Either your departed loved ones to greet you,” she tilted her head to one side, “Or for a fairy or something to resurrect you.”_

_“But then Link…” Sidon felt his heart dropping._

_“What happens to the Hero at his death is none of your concern; he’s lived many lives before you and he will live many lives after.”_

_“You just said each hero was his own person!”_

_“They are! He is! My point simply is the fact that he’s done this before and he’ll do it again. And again. And again. And really I don’t know why you’ve been wasting so much time debating your worthiness to court the Hero when honestly he’d just be happy to not have to spend more lifetimes alone than he has to.”_

_Sidon gave pause at that, feeling his heart still as he watched the woman brush strands of red hair out of her face. His voice was so small as he asked, “How...many?”_

_“Hm?”_

_“How many lifetimes has Link spent alone?”_

_“Enough,” she answered. “It’s easier to count the lifetimes he wasn’t alone.”_

_Neither individual had the heart to meet the other’s gaze, it seemed, and with a dry laugh the woman added, “And...the one whole afterlife. You’re welcome.”_

_“How?”_

_“The world that I come from,” she explained, “is very different from yours. If you were to walk amongst my people you would not survive as you are. But Link...my Link had to endure many trials and tribulations when our worlds collided. One of the side effects to his adventures was that when he died he awoke for a time in my home. And he was offered a choice: he could either return to resting and waiting or he could spend his brief reprieve with me.”_

_“That’s wonderful,” Sidon found himself smiling, recognizing the familiar glint in her eyes as she spoke of the man she so loved. “So you’ll be there to greet him from on! And he won’t be alone!”_

_“No,” the woman corrected. “My Link got to spend his afterlife with me. When the Hero’s spirit left him and passed on to your Link, the chance to return to Twilight left as well. That was his only shot.”_

_“So…what will happen to Link—my Link?”_

_“He’s far from dead yet, I’m not sure why you’re so concerned with this.”_

_“Because he’s so lonely!” Sidon guffawed, “You think I don’t see that hollow gaze in his eyes when he’s deep in thought? You think I don’t know how he cries out in his sleep and claims that his dreams are from his forgotten memories? You think I don’t realize that the images he describes from those nightmares simply cannot add up given the fact that I grew up in a time before the Calamity!? He may be a different person, but he is connected fundamentally to the other heroes! That loneliness is saturating his very being! I can’t just—I can’t just stand by and let him live out his life only to return to that!”_

_“So you’re saying that you wouldn’t want to live the rest of his life with him?”_

_“No! I’m saying that I can’t leave him!” Sidon snarled back, “No matter the cost!”_

_“But that’s impossible,” the woman snickered, “Sooner or later you will be separated from your dearly beloved. No matter how many days you have with him in the light. Assuming you live past today that is.”_

_“You cannot simply bequeath this knowledge to me and expect me to sit idly by,” Sidon warned, “How do I wake up and how do we stop this endless cycle?!”_

_There was a long pause before the woman answered, but when she did she wore a devilish smile, “You wish to defy the will of the Goddesses themselves...just so your boyfriend doesn’t get stuck by himself?”_

_“Hasn’t he done their will without challenge long enough?”_

_“Okay, I’m willing to entertain this level of insanity with you for just a moment only because you’ve completely bled out and delirious and my beast might have hit your Link too hard across the head and I feel bad,” she shrugged. “Let’s say you can accomplish...whatever this is. And you can stay at Link’s side even after his lifetime—assuming you’re capable of successfully courting him, might I add.”_

_“I thought you said you didn’t know my life!?”_

_“I spend too much time people-watching during the day! Leave me alone!” She snarked back, “So let’s say you even have the balls to court him, marry him, add more babies to the bunch, divine-intervention or otherwise, and let’s just—let’s just say that Link would even have a lifespan to even remotely match your own and that he is the only man you ever have to live out your days with. And let’s just—hypothetically—add that maybe—just maybe—you two die and instead of just sitting in a holding cell Link gets to be at your side. You would be forfeiting the chance to see your Mother again, spend more time with your sister, reunite with your father after he inevitably passes. Greet your daughter when her time comes. You would give up all of that, just to stay with Link!?”_

_Sidon listened intently to the woman’s words, and he had to look away with a heavy heart. She was right, after all. It was a selfish wish of him, when so many who loved him would want to take the opportunities she pointed out._

_But what would it matter if he fell in battle today?_

_“Plus, it’s not like you could be reincarnated the way the Hero is,” she continued, breaking Sidon’s train of thought, “He would move on to another life and you would remain alone. Even if you were reincarnated with him, your spirit would be encased in an entirely different individual. No guarantee that the next Hero would be even remotely interested in you, much less meet you. The journey could be all for not.”_

_“That’s true…” Sidon mused out loud; perhaps he was delirious._

_“So,” she chuckled, “What would it be?”_

_Sidon furrowed his brow, “How do you mean?”_

_“If the opportunity was passed down to you to guide Link in the afterlife, would you do it?”_

* * *

Link honestly could not remember most of what happened next aside from his blood curdling screams as he slashed his blade, attacking and counter attacking. His vision had gone red, he had lost control of his frozen arm, his breathing was ragged. He didn’t care. He just wanted Sidon to wake up and to see these fuckers leave the Domain once and for all.

“Tal!” The woman cried out once.

“Don’t worry about me, get the Blight!” He roared.

Link should have paid more mind to what they had said, what their words would eventually foretell. But he didn’t care. He just wanted Sidon to wake up.

So he completely missed his chance to stop the woman when she was most vulnerable, and lost his focus on her until she attacked him again, crying out in exasperation as she struck him again and again with an intensity Link had never seen with a normal person. As he was knocked sideways, Link looked over at the Yiga’s form, and part of him wondered how she had harnessed the power of the Waterblight. But when he looked up at her from his vantage point on the ground, the woman had paused, convulsing violently as her screams became more akin to roars he had heard once before.

“Keep it together! We can’t unleash this power now!” The male Yiga ran to the woman’s aid, holding her down and cradling her carefully.

“I’ll kill hiiiim!” She hissed.

“Save it! He’s good as dead!”

Link blinked, and the only indication that he had lost consciousness was that when he opened his eyes again the living Yiga were gone. Instead, hoards of zombies crawled their way up into the otherwise muted Divine Beast.

“Si...don…” Link groaned, rolling over, trying to sit up. The moment his eyes regained focus he found a clump of them over by the Zora in question. “No—!”

He was too spent; he couldn’t do this anymore. No matter how hard he tried to lift his arm and fend off these monsters, his body wouldn’t move. Knees buckling under him, he let out a helpless cry.

Miraculously, just as he was ready to give up, a flash of light appeared, singing the undead Yiga until they collapsed to the ground unmoving. Link could have sworn he was either dying or his eyes were betraying him because standing over Sidon, trident in hand, was a face Link never thought he would see again.

“Link…” Mipha’s voice called out so mournfully, “Please help him.”

* * *

“ _This...this is the same opportunity that you were granted?” Sidon questioned, but the woman merely laughed.  
_

_“No, there was nothing offered to me, my home is simply a place where souls of the light are either banished to out of ignorance or those that pass on can potentially wind up. My situation was simply blind luck and a blessing from the gods,” she explained, “You would have to completely forfeit your soul over to the goddesses and hope that they would be willing to let you stay at Link’s side.”_

_“And forfeit any chance to see my family after I pass on,” Sidon noted._

_“Yes, but that’s all hypothetical,” she answered. “Because you’re dead.”_

_“But I can’t be dead,” Sidon pressed, “I can’t—I have a daughter—my father—Link!”_

_“But Link’s been alone before—“_

_“And we’ve been through this already I am sick and tired of talking in circles I want to be with Link!” Sidon roared so loud that the woman jumped. “He’s been alone! For so long! And my child has been alone! And my father will be left all alone! I can’t leave them behind!”_

_“Why not?”_

_“BECAUSE I LOVE THEM!” Sidon practically howled. “I love my father! I love Minami! And most of all I love LINK! I want Link in my life I want to be in his life and I refuse to leave him alone!”_

_“Love,” she snickered. “You know, it’s funny you mention that, Prince Sidon…”_

* * *

“Mipha…” Link gasped, trying to rise to his feet only to stumble and collapse again as he crawled over to Sidon’s side. His skin was cool to the touch, no signs of life left in his body. “Mipha, I—“

“Hush now, Link,” she pleaded, her spectral form glowing much like it had in the past. Why this was happening or how, he couldn’t be sure and he frankly didn’t have the time or energy to ask questions. He just figured he was dying. And he feared Sidon was already gone.

“Sidon, he’s—“ Link stuttered, the breath leaving his lungs, “He’s not—I can’t—is he dead?”

He looked to Mipha with tears in his eyes and her expression was so long and so mournful, she could merely brush the hair out of his face before cupping her younger brother’s cheek.

“I can’t feel him,” her voice quivered. “Please, Link, tell me you have a fairy or something that could help him.”

“I don’t—“ Link shuffled through his belongings, vision blurry and head too light to hold up it seemed, but sure enough a jar slipped out of his pouch and rolled along the ground before Mipha’s spirit carefully stopped it and picked it up as easily as if she had been living and breathing in the flesh. She pulled open the jar to free the little light as the fairy danced nervously around the three of them as Link anxiously awaited for it to pinpoint Sidon’s body and take hold.

Yet it continued to flutter around, as if there was no soul for it to grab hold of and save.

“No…” Link choked up, “No he can’t—he won’t die…!”

“Just give it time, Link, I’m sure we will—“

“I DON’T HAVE TIME!” Link yelled, ducking his head against Sidon’s chest as he let out a sob, the weight of the world came crashing down on him. The fate of Hyrule was unknown now that that couple had unleashed...something. Mipha’s spirit was lingering inside the Divine Beast for an unknown reason and he had yet to fess up to her that the man he finally found was none other than her own brother. And now Sidon—

If Sidon was dead...Link would have no chance of seeing him again. Not even in the next life.

“Sidon…” he sobbed, before sucking in a breath and looking back up at his best friend, tears spilling out of his eyes for he was too exhausted to keep up the courage to press on anymore. “Mipha, I’m so sorry—“

“Link, it’s...you’re okay, we’ve already bid our goodbyes, you need not worry about me,” she insisted, cupping his cheek with her hand, but she still looked so so sad as she gazed down at her brother, her voice catching as she spoke, “Oh but if Sidon could just wake up…”

“Please…!” Link nearly screamed. He couldn’t do this anymore. He just couldn’t. He didn’t know when he scooped Sidon in his arms, cradling his head and shoulders in his lap, but Link found himself rocking as he cried, cupping the prince’s face with his hand. “Sidon, come back…”

Mipha continued to watch the fairy above them, and for a moment she tried pressing her hands against his chest as if to heal him, but to no avail, “Perhaps if Minami was here she could…”

Trailing off, Princess Mipha looked onwards to the young hero, heart breaking for him. She knew, deep down, that even if she had been capable of winning his heart, he would not be hers to keep for long. There would be other lifetimes, other hellscapes awaiting the Beholder Of Courage that would be so far out of her reach, he wouldn’t have even recognized her had she followed him. She had known that fate long ago, and she had accepted it. And when news came to her that her dear lifelong friend faced a greater, lonelier trial ahead of him than she previously imagined...well, the princess’s dying wish had been for Link to find happiness and love in a companion that could at least make him smile during his remaining days on earth. To know that he had found that in her brother lifted her heart in more ways than she could have described but now…

If Sidon’s time was up there would be no hope of reuniting them again.

“Sidon, wake up,” she found herself begging, “It is not your turn yet. Link loves you too much.”

* * *

“ _Are you familiar with the Triforce, Young Prince?” The woman teased, and Sidon could only scoff in her direction.  
_

_“Of course I am,” Sidon folded his arms._

_“So you know the components,” she nodded. “Courage, Wisdom, Power…”_

_“Split apart when one of Ganon’s previous incarnations tried to control it in its whole.”_

_“Do you know why they split apart?”_

_“His heart was full of malice.”_

_“He lacked the binding,” she smiled slightly, gazing slightly off into the mist as it began to thin out, “Courage, wisdom, and power are what make this world the way it is, they are the components that make the Goddesses as powerful as they are. They are what separate a good soul from a mindless beast. But what holds them all together is simple: it is love.”_

_As Sidon looked around, he noticed the white mist around him clearing up to reveal parts of Vah Ruta. It was dark, still illuminated in the menacing red of the blood moon, and above him, he heard a voice._

_“Sidon…!”_

_“I will ask you one more time, Prince Sidon, and this is all you get,” the woman began, “Do you wish to spend your everlasting life alongside Link?”_

_“Does this mean that I will live?”_

_“For now,” she answered. “If you take this route you won’t get a second chance again. Not even a fairy could help you if you were to kick the bucket next time.”_

_Sidon felt his snout crinkle at that, “I thought you said I was only slightly dead earlier.”_

_“Yeah, I lied,” she teased. “There was no helping you after that harpoon got ripped out of you.”_

_“Harpoon!?!”_

_“You get one chance, stay focused,” the woman said, “You can either stay here, see your mother and sister again and reunite with your father and daughter when the time comes. Or you can go back, bind your soul to Link’s, and get one more chance at a life with him. What will you choose?”_

_Sidon thought for only but a moment; of course there was no question. “You’re asking if I abandon my family now in hopes of seeing them briefly upon their inevitable ends, or I make the time that I have on this earth count from on and ensure that Link won’t feel the crushing isolation that is a symptom of his calling. I choose life, Your Highness. And I won’t mess it up this time.”_

_Though her expression was unreadable, the woman did eventually smile in response to his answer._

_But not before smacking him upside the head._

_“Then stop your useless pining! And actually explain to him what Zora courtships are?”_

_“I—“ Sidon stammered, but he could only laugh, “Of course.”_

_“By the way,” she asked, “How do you know that I am royalty?”_

_Sidon simply shrugged, “Link has a thing for dashing princes and beautiful princesses.”_

_“You’re joking.”_

_“His words, not mine...he might have been drunk at the time.”_

_“Hmph,” she grinned at that and waved him away, “In any case, don’t mess this chance up, Prince Sidon. We’ve been watching you for quite some time, I know you’ll do well but...screw this up again and I won’t have enough power to save your ass via some half-baked divine intervention, you got it?”_

_“I will keep that in mind,” Sidon nodded, “But I must ask...why and how have you been watching me?”_

_“Every hero needs a little help,” she placed a hand on her hip, and for the first time her smile was kind and completely void of any sarcasm, “But a hero’s soulmate needs all the help they could possibly receive. As far as how...well...if you ever need me, just look down.”_

* * *

For several haunting minutes, it seemed as if all hope was lost. Divine Beast Vah Ruta was completely dormant, as if all the power had been drained from its very being. The blood moon hung high in the sky with no indication that raging battle below would cease. And inside the beast, the Chosen Hero sat beaten and battered cradling the body of the man he so loved, the soul of the Zora princess watching over them in silent mourning.

But where there is darkness, there is also light.

It may seem like you are alone, but even in the lowest of lows, where it seems as if you have hit rock bottom, there are guiding angels willing to reach down and help you back up to your feet.

For some, the angels may be more figurative, but for Link and Prince Sidon, in that moment, the guiding hands came from spirits of old that had been watching, waiting, for a time when they might be needed. As Link felt the weight of the world crumbling down upon his shoulders, he also felt the weight of gentle hands laying down on him. He could not possibly know it at the time, but Heroes of Old descended on him in that moment, fallen shadows both forgotten and remembered embraced their comrade in that moment to help him back to his feet and remind him that in even the loneliest of times, he was never truly alone.

And from that day forward, he would never feel alone.

Though she had never met Prince Sidon of the Zora in person, the shadowy remains of a twilit queen held out her hand and like Princess Mipha, guided him in the direction of his heart. And he could not have known how important his decision on that day would come to be.

For as Link cradled Sidon in his arms, whispering words of love into his ear, Mipha felt a spark ignite. She glanced down at her brother as color returned to his scales, as light returned to his face, and she felt a smile blossom on her face.

She placed a gentle hand on Link’s shoulder, and her penultimate words to her friend were, “It’s going to be okay.”

Link jumped, looking up at Mipha in confusion. With another smile, her form began to fade gently away: “You are going to be amazing.”

Link found himself lurching forward, reaching out for Mipha, only to cry out when she was gone from his vision. For a dreadful moment, he broke down again, but as he grasped hold of Sidon’s hand, near hysterical, Sidon grasped back.

The hero gave pause, as did his tears, and he watched in bewilderment as the fairy finally—finally—drifted down towards the Zora, lighting up as dissipated against him, breathing life into Sidon once more.

With a gasp, Sidon breathed inward, with no sign of injury. With an exhale, Link got to see those brilliant golden eyes open once more.

“Link…” Sidon breathed, trying to focus on the crying Hylian above him. “Link...what’s wrong?”

Despite all that he’d been through, it was Sidon who was cupping Link’s cheek and brushing the tears away.

“You...fuck, Sidon!” Was all Link could say as he hiccuped, laughed, and bit back another sob, this one in relief.

Exhausted, the prince chuckled and rubbed his cheek gently, “I love you, Link.”

The words danced off Sidon’s lips so freely, he wondered what in the hell kept him from saying them before. He also wondered why it took him laying on the ground after a near-death experience in the heat of battle to finally say it.

What seemed even easier, however, was when Link coughed up a mixture between a laugh and a sob as he leaned down and joined their lips together in the softest, deepest, sweetest kiss they could have ever imagined.

When they finally parted, Sidon was dizzy all over again as the Hylian sighed, “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so a long long time ago back in January when I was outlining From Goddesses Above and what Mipha’s deal would be I went through so many characters that would be involved and all I knew was that Lionel was gonna have to have something to do with it and I scrapped so many fancy OC’s before I was screaming at my own Zelda games in an Arin-level rage quit and I remembered that I could like, you know, pull canon characters that fit what I was looking for SO MUCH BETTER because the entire Zelda timeline is fucking linked, pun not intended. 
> 
> ..........so yeah, fuck, mysterious lady helping Sidon is Midna and I swear I have a reason for this other than I forgot how gay I was for Midna when I started playing Twilight Princess again leave me alone I’m bad at keeping plot twists a secret.


	36. Two Dads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle wages on until sunrise and at first the outcome seems bleak and uncertain. But where there is a will, there is a way. 
> 
> And Nami has two dads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep thinking I'm going to get to a certain point in a chapter and then scenes take longer to write out than I planned. 
> 
> That is to say, I was so certain that I would be able to end this chapter with a note that says, "there's gonna be like two maybe three chapters left" but now I'm looking at what I have left to write and would not be surprised if we have ten chapters of fluff before we get to the epilogue. 
> 
> Also I know I didn't proof read well enough to fix typos. You don't need to tell me if there's a mistake, I'll fix it after I finish the commission that I'm working on and I'm sorry if it bothers you in the meantime
> 
> It's fine. 
> 
> Sidon believes in all of us.

When Sidon came to, he had to admit that he didn’t remember much of what happened after he had been stabbed. As Link helped him sit up and regain his bearings, the chaos unfolding before them brought him quickly to alertness. 

“What--what happened?” he asked, leaning against the Hylian for support. Link in turn couldn’t seem to help but caress his cheek, ducking his head against the princes shoulder as he bit back a relieved sob. 

“You almost died, is what happened!” Link finally signed after he collected himself, arms dancing frantically. The puffiness in his eyes coupled with dark bags underneath and even darker bruises forming along the rest of his face just about broke Sidon’s heart in two. 

Frowning, Sidon bowed his head, “I’m so sorry, my friend--” he paused, looking back up at the Hylian, his Hylian, and corrected himself as he felt compelled to gently cup Link’s cheek, “My love. I won’t worry you like that again.”

He couldn’t help himself; with the battle raging on and the knowledge that the Domain needed the Hero more than he did at this point, Sidon dared to steal another kiss before sending him on his way. Link gladly returned the favor but was quick to draw back, signing, “There will be more where that came from after we deal with this.”

“Yes,” despite the circumstances, Sidon’s heart still managed to flutter excitedly in his chest as he nodded, “We haven’t been struck by a Blood Moon since Ganon’s defeat and we haven’t seen anything to this scale since the…”

The Prince found himself trailing off, surging forward to an opening in Vah Ruta to peer outside to where the most intense parts of the battle took place. Oh no--

“There’s no sign of Ganon,” Link spoke out loud, drawing Sidon’s attention back. “And these...undead aren’t like the monsters that awoke during the Calamity. They’re only coming from the Reservoir and there’s nothing else coming for miles.”

“Yet the Reservoir had something in it that nearly poisoned me,” Sidon mused, a sick pit forming in his stomach. “Are you saying this was a planned attack?”

“Maybe,” Link shook his head as his hands danced quickly, “But whatever the cause it looks like these guys are going to keep coming back until we find a way to permanently stop them like you did during the Calamity.”

“That’s just it, Link,” Sidon warned, “At least here...there was no way to stop the undead during the Calamity. The most we could do was hold them off until sunrise.”

Link’s cheeks paled ever so slightly, “What time is it now?”

Sidon glanced outwards again, looking up at the crimson moon sitting high in the sky, “About...midnight. Link, we best move quickly if we are going to keep the situation from escalating so you need to get down there while Mipha and I will--”

Sidon paused. 

Where did...Mipha go?

Glancing cautiously back to Link, Sidon felt his cheeks both heat with embarrassment and his heart begin to fall. 

He hadn’t told Link about Mipha. How could he? Also, of all places to kiss Link for the first time did it have to be inside of the Beast where his sister’s spirit dwelled? 

But also...he had kissed Link. Intentionally. So did that mean…?

Did he not get a chance to say goodbye?

Link’s voice was quiet, “You saw Mipha too…?”

“I--” Sidon had to forcibly steel himself in order to move on, “We have...a lot to discuss after all this is over.”

“Hey, man, that’s okay, I think I accidentally summoned a talking Lynel serving as a messenger for the powers of the Universe to try and kill me until I admitted that I was in love with you,” Link offered back. 

Sidon...Sidon was pretty sure Link had the noblest of intentions but that was...the prince could only stare at him for a moment as he just shook his head, “I--we need to unpack that later but in the meantime could you  _ please  _ head down and aid my men?”

Link gave the driest of thumbs up before he took his leave, and as he turned his back to the Zora, Sidon vaguely wondered if he had bid goodbye too soon. And this time, it wasn’t due to unresolved feelings. Strange. 

Examining the console, Sidon grew worried for a moment when Ruta didn’t immediately respond. The Yiga took something, and for the life of him, Sidon did not know what. He just hoped it wasn’t whatever magic gave Ruta life. “Oh Ruta,” Sidon sighed, placing his hands on the console, “I hope you can forgive me. What did they take from you?”

For a moment, there was no response. For a moment, Sidon felt that sick, lonely pit forming in his stomach again. Had he failed? Had he let his guard down? Allowed things to go to far by letting his own sister to remain adrift here because of his fumbling? Was this tragedy occurring due to his mistakes?

No, Sidon shook his head, he could not allow himself to think like that any longer. Such was not the way of a champion. Whether these were result of his mistakes or not, as the prince it was his duty to protect his people, his home, his family. 

After all, is that not what he had promised Mipha he would do?

“I promise,” Sidon closed his eyes, breathing deeply, “I shall not falter again.”

Below his hands, the beast gave a gentle hum, as if to reassure Sidon for the briefest of moments before whirring back to life. With a mighty trumpet, the Divine Beast Vah Ruta lit up the night sky with its bright blue light, screens flashing before the prince to show the outside world. He could see soldiers cheering. Even his own father was holding up his trident in battle, barking orders and proclamations of victory, reassurance, encouragement to continue fighting until the battle was won. 

Well...there would be no winning on that evening, Sidon felt. It was a matter of survival. 

“All will be well,” Sidon said, whether it was to himself or the beast he could not be sure. “It will be a long night but it will be well.”

Ruta trumpeted again, seemingly in agreement as the duo pressed forward to fight. And fight they did. For generations to come, Zora children would be set down in their sleeping pools at night hearing the stories of the mighty King Dorephan, the courageous Hero Link, and the great champion Prince Sidon as well as all of the men and women who risked their lives to protect the Domain that evening. They battled through the night, not daring to tire until glimpse of sunlight sparkled through the peaks of the mountains, giving way to the end of the Yiga’s short lived resurrection. Slowly, gradually, each reanimated individual began to fall, not daring get up again as the moon finally hid away and gave rise to the sun. 

Sidon had lost count of how many enemies had climbed up into the beast during the night, how many he had run his trident through and how many he had run his trident - and sword - through repeatedly, how many had run their weapons through him in turn. But finally, finally, when he struck the last one upside the head and it didn’t get back up, he leaned back against the console in exhaustion and felt his knees buckle under him. 

Sliding to the ground, Sidon closed his eyes, holding the freshest of wounds he had acquired and sighed.

He couldn’t sigh in relief. He had no clue what the state of affairs was outside the beast aside from what limited view he had of the screens. Worse yet he had no clue what had happened beyond the battleground, in the Domain where Nami and the others must have been scared senseless and oh goddesses what had become of Minami?

“Shhhh,” a gentle voice hushed him and a soft hand caressed his cheek, causing Sidon to jump and open his eyes. Greeting him was none other than his dear sister. 

“Mipha--” Sidon gasped, “What are you…?”

“I couldn’t leave you without saying goodbye,” she smiled, eyes sparkling with an odd hint of sadness behind them. 

“I…” Sidon’s voice broke as he let out a small laugh, tears stinging the corners of his eyes, “I will see you again one day, my sister.”

Even as he spoke, Sidon felt as if he knew that would be a lie. The strangest tugging at his heart overwhelmed him and it was only made harder when Mipha’s smile grew as bittersweet as Sidon felt. It wasn’t the bittersweetness of remorse or regret, not by any means. They had found their way, their calling. And it was wonderful, but as Sidon leaned against her with purrs that resonated all the way from his heart, he felt like this was a more permanent goodbye than he realized existed. 

“You are going to have such a wonderful life, Sidon,” Mipha said, finally drawing away, “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

Sidon didn’t quite know what to say, “I love you, Mipha. You rest well, now, okay?”

“I will,” Mipha nuzzled her forehead against her brother’s, her form beginning to glow brighter as she faded away, “Take care of him, you hear me? You and Link are going to be so happy together.”

“Yes, Sister,” Sidon chuckled. “I’ll do what I can.”

“I love you, Sidon,” Mipha said, light dancing through her as if the Goddesses themselves were guiding her back to heaven personally, “Goodbye, my sweet brother.”

As she disappeared, Sidon couldn’t help but let the tears fall.

 

* * *

 

Despite the threat finally being gone, as Link fell to his knees in exhaustion he heard very little cries of triumph. 

“Where’s Torfeau!? Has anyone seen her since she dove in the waters?!”

“Can anyone see into the Reservoir!? What kind of poison is this!?”

“Whose missing!? We need a headcount ASAP!”

“Where is Captain Bazz!?”

“Dunma, take your squad to the Domain immediately we need to know what’s happening there!”

“King Dorephan what do we do about Prince Sidon has anyone seen him!?” 

Of course Sidon’s name is what snapped Link out of his trance, bringing him back to attention and away from the memories beginning to pick at his haunted mind. He looked up to the King  who stood there briefly, surveying Ruta for any sign that Sidon was in there and just doing...something before finally emerging to tend to his people. Beside the king, one of the younger soldiers grew anxious awaiting an answer before trying to take initiative and insisting, “I’ll go search for him, Sire!”

“No, don’t! The water is poisoned, Child, do you not see? No one is to enter the Reservoir until the Healers are able to purify it!” 

In the panic, the army in disarray was more inclined to argue with their king than follow orders. 

“But sir! Prince Sidon is still in Vah Ruta!”

“The Yiga were pulling our men down into the lake, what if they’re trapped?!”

“Someone has to get them before they suffocate!” 

“We don’t know what type of poison it is!” Dorephan roared, growling louder than his own son in that moment. The army stilled, looking to their king and though he was no Shark Zora, King Dorephan still bared his teeth as if he were the late Queen. “I’ve lost too many of my people in the past, do not leave me to grieve more of you than necessary.” 

That finally stilled the Zora as they looked down and began assembling themselves to follow the orders given to them. But it couldn’t still Link: “I’ll go.”

“What!?” Dorephan guffawed, a baffled expression on his face, “Link, what do you mean?”

“I’ll go find Sidon,” Link finally signed, “And try to find the others.”

“Link you are not going in there--”

“I can’t breathe when I swim anyway it’ll be fine.”

King Dorephan opened his mouth to vehemently refute Links urgings, but after a split moment of watching Link begin marching to the bank, he settled on a different tactic: “Where’s your daughter?”

“Huh?”

“Your daughter,” Dorephan stated again flatly, “Otherwise known as my granddaughter?”

Link froze at that as he realized that in all of this, he had no idea what had become of the Domain much less Minami. Oh shit--

“You can risk drowning or being poisoned, or you can go find the princess and assess the rest of the situation, take your pick.”

Link was...later embarrassed to admit how quickly and ridiculously he took off to the trees and the path that lead him away from the reservoir to join Dunma’s squad as he searched for where the little girl could have gone. 

Unfortunately, Link did not get very far before slight movement behind the king caught his eye.

“DOREPHAN!” Link roared, sprinting forward as a small group of Yiga (living, this time) launched a surprise attack in an attempt for the king’s life. Dorephan was quick to react, but the Yiga were quicker. 

And a hair quicker, was a bundle of bananas dropping out of the trees above, distracting just about everyone. For a moment, everyone froze. For a moment, the Yiga almost turned their attention to the bananas instead of the task at hand, and that moment of hesitation was just enough for Link to reach them and cut three of the fools out with one go, cutting the others down quickly after. 

With the immediate threat out of the way, Link was able to take a pause just long enough to examine the ripe fruit as Dorephan began sending out orders to search for any stragglers hiding in the shadows now that their biggest advantage against the Zora was gone. 

Link picked up one banana, glancing up at the tree they had dropped from. Aside from not even being a banana tree, the sudden dropping was too well timed for it to have just been happenstance, and as Link caught sight of shimmering blue scales he could only snicker. 

“Hey you!” he called out, holding his arms up. Dorephan only had a moment to question what in the world Link was looking at before one miss Minami dropped out of the tree and into Link’s expecting arms, trembling violently as she held tightly onto him. Small hiccups and whimpers beginning to escape her as Link felt her little body relaxing. Quietly, he whispered, “What are you doing here?”

“I--” Nami hiccuped, “I’m sorry, Link I had to do s-something--I--”

She could hardly get much more out before she broke out into sobs altogether, wailing as hot tears dripped onto Link’s shoulder. The hero simply held her, stroking her tail, ignoring the relieved yet confused cries from other Zora who wondered what the hell the princess was doing here of all places. 

“Sweetheart,” Dorephan spoke softly, “You’re safe now, it’s alright.”

“I’m--I’m sorry, Grandpaaa!” she cried out, sobbing so hard she began coughing and Link felt her little gills press against his arms as they puffed out and wheezed from her exhausted tears. 

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Nami--”

“I’m sorryyyyy!”

“Shhhhhh, Nami,” Link tried to calm her, fearing the worst as he wondered why Minami had ended up here by herself and was so profusely apologizing. 

“It’s my--it’s my---” Nami hiccupped, but for whatever reason she could not finish the sentence. 

It was all Link could do to hold her amidst the chaos until she calmed down enough for Dorephan to gently ask, “Sweetheart, I know you’re upset. But tell me, do you know what has become of the Domain?”

Nami sniffled, tucking her little head against Link’s shoulder as she shook her head, “Everyone ran away but...the bad guys didn’t really go to the Domain…”

Dorephan and Link sighed in simultaneous relief, but then Nami hiccupped again as she looked to Link with the most tearful eyes he had ever seen, “But the--but the water--it’s all bad and poison and--I’m sorryyyyy!”

“Hey, hey,” Link hushed, pressing his forehead to hers, “It’s okay.”

“It’s alright, sweetie,” Dorephan said gently, his large hand around them, “The Healers will be here to purify the water soon--”

“All the healing potion is gone!” she blurted, giving another pause before she hiccupped again and explained, “I heard someone saying it was all gone!”

Link found himself looking to the King, and then the other Zora only to find doomed expressions staring back at him. 

But what would become of the people trapped in the lake…?

“I’m going to get Sidon,” Link muttered under his breath, but this time it was both Dorephan and Minami who lurched forward, trying to stop him, the latter breaking out into even more hysterical sobs as she pulled on his tunic with all her might, feet dragging on the ground. 

It was as if the Goddesses were testing him, because it wasn’t until Link finally relented, kneeling down to pull Nami into a hug, when he glanced up and saw two things. First, as he looked up at one of the cliffsides overlooking the reservoir, he saw the faintest outline of a Lynel standing there, watching. Link sighed, narrowing his gaze at who he hoped was just Lionel and that he didn’t have any other so-called “practical jokes” up his sleeve. Evidently, he didn’t, for with what looked to be a nod of approval Lionel turned and took his leave and as he trotted away he revealed behind him the silhouette of what looked to be a lone wolf also surveying the scene below. 

Though he should have remained tense at the sight, an odd sense of calm quickly overcame him. With the tilt of its head Link and all of the Zora at the reservoir could hear a gentle howl and then the howl was joined by a victorious trumpet from the Divine Beast as it stirred once more and began moving towards the docks. Link didn’t even have to wait for the platform to begin moving or the cheers of relief to erupt for him to start running towards Ruta, Nami trotting eagerly behind. And when an exhausted, battered, and dazed Sidon finally popped out, climbing carefully outside, Link could’ve cared less about the fact that he was now shamelessly sprinting at full speed, tears running down his cheeks as he all but threw himself at the prince.

He was just glad that, upon locking eyes with Link, Sidon did the same, crying as he caught the Hylian and held him close. 

“Oh sweet Hylia, you’re safe,” Sidon whimpered, “Oh Link, thank goodness.”

Had words fallen off his tongue with more ease, Link would have told Sidon that he loved him a million times over in that moment. Instead, Link found himself nuzzling Sidon and placing kisses to his cheek and snout as the Zora held him tightly and pretty much off the ground. He could have done that for hours too, had Link not drawn back to inspect his beloved for injury only to find a crowd of...rather pleased looking Zora in serious need of a pleasant distraction grinning expectantly at them. 

“Uhhhh,” Link grunted. Sidon coughed loudly as he set Link back on the ground, and Link could see the gears beginning to turn as he attempted to craft an explanation for the display before his gaze drifted to the young girl behind Link and his entire thought process came to a screeching halt, back up about twelve steps, and then proceeded in overdrive.

“Minami! Sweetheart what on earth are you--!?” Sidon guffawed, but was at a loss for words as he knelt down to take his child into his arms, “Are you hurt?! Gracious, you didn’t fight any of those dreaded beasts did you!? Why are you here!? Who was watching you--!?”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Nami whimpered, and for a moment Link worried she was going to break out into hysterics all over again. 

“It’s alright, Sweet Minnow,” Sidon hushed, purring deeply against her so she could calm down. “We’ll get this sorted out but first--oh thank the Goddesses, Father, are you alright? Where are the healers?”

“Well, Son, according to Minami, someone took all of the healing and purification potions,” Dorephan explained, his eyes glossing over with a mix of relief and exhaustion at the sight of his son returned to him. Link could only imagine how emotional the pair’s reunion would be behind closed doors and made a mental note to ensure that the father and son had a moment to themselves when all was said and done. “We have no way of purifying the reservoir until more is made.”

“But that could take weeks,” Sidon noted, his teeth baring as a few distressed snorts escaped his gills. “We have people trapped there that could be--”

Link at first imagined that Sidon broke his speech to either spare Nami or himself from the thoughts that came to mind, but when Sidon looked down to their daughter, his expression changed entirely.

“Actually,” Sidon took Minami’s hands in his, smiling gently as he wiped her tears, “We might not have to wait that long…”

Link felt his brow furrow in a confusion that mirrored Nami’s. King Dorephan wore a similar expression though it quickly melted into one of tentative hope as he asked, “Sidon, do you think she’d be ready to…?”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Sidon grinned. “Sweetheart, this might be too much to ask but...you possess a miraculous power within you.”

Nami looked down, shrugging, “I can heal people.”

“Yes, you have the power to heal wounds, nullify toxins...Mipha’s Grace is a special gift capable of many feats,” Sidon explained to her, “You might...you might be able to purify the water with it.”

Nami rubbed at her eyes a little, looking hopefully up at Sidon, “You...you think so?”

“I do,” Sidon nodded. “But I’m not certain. This might be too large of a task and I don’t want to put you in harms way--”

“I wanna try it,” Nami stated quickly, puffing her chest out. “I wanna help everyone.”

There were several moments where Sidon’s expression was so overcome with emotion that not even Link could fully read him. But nevertheless Prince Sidon, King Dorephan, and Link all found themselves at Minami’s side explaining to her how the late Princess Mipha would perform the same feats a hundred years before. 

“Your sister never did anything to this scale,” Dorephan looked tentatively to Sidon, “Are you certain she will be alright?”

“We have to try,” Sidon answered, “If she is willing to, we have to at least try. Minami, are you sure you want to do this?”

“I gotta try,” Nami nodded, placing her hands against the water. She paused, then looked back up to Link and Sidon, tears beginning to pool in her eyes again, “But...I’m scared.”

“Why are you scared, Sweetheart?” Sidon asked gently, stroking her tail.

“What if I can’t do it?” she asked, “What if I can’t save them?”

Sidon looked to Link at that, giving pause as he tried to think of how to respond. It was a very real concern. It was a long shot this attempt would even work and Link didn’t want to even think of how guilty Nami would feel if this didn’t work. And how guilty Sidon would feel for suggesting the idea. But then another, much larger part of Link could only smile and wonder why Sidon’s response wasn’t more immediate. 

“You will,” Link said simply, kneeling in front of Nami with his hands on her shoulders for reassurance. 

“But how do you know?” she asked, and Link could only grin brighter as he remembered a time not long ago when he stood on this very dock overlooking Vah Ruta in a much different context, rain pouring down on him in sheets. 

 

_ “Well,” Prince Sidon of the Zora turned to face Link with an overly confident grin on his face. “Have you got your shock arrows? Are you ready to face Vah Ruta?” _

_ Link eyed the Zora skeptically; he had only known Sidon for a handful of days. Or at least, if he knew Sidon before Calamity he sure as shit didn’t know. He knew his answer should have been more immediate, but for some reason as he stared at the menacing beast before them, doubt started creeping into the back of Link’s mind with fleeting images of a love supposedly lost. _

_ But even that didn’t sound right.  _

_ Had he been engaged to Mipha? Was he that closeted before the Calamity or had the heteronormative been knocked out of him when he was put to sleep in the Shrine? And where the fuck was this sword that the king had mentioned!? _

_ “Link?” Sidon broke Link from his train of thought, “What’s the matter? Why do you hesitate?” _

_ Link found himself glancing down again, not sure why this prince of all people was someone he felt comfortable confiding in as he lifted his hands and signed, “What if we can’t stop it?” _

_ Sidon blinked in confusion as if had never considered that possibility, “Well you have the shock arrows, don’t you?” _

_ “Yeah but--that’s not the point, Sidon,” Link signed flippantly before pausing to correct, “Prince Sidon. Sorry. It’s just. You’re saying I’m this hero, and that I can stop this beast and the next and then the next and then go on to defeat a monster that supposedly killed me a hundred years ago? What if I’m not the hero? What if we fail?” _

_ “Well,” Sidon grunted, a bit of a snort coming from him as his gills expelled a brief puff of air in thought. Glancing up at the beast, Sidon thought for a moment before he smiled back down at Link and grinned, “You’ve already conquered one Divine Beast, have you not?” _

_ “I have but--” _

_ “And I know you’ve yet to recover all of your memories but I remember you fine enough to assure you that you are quite the remarkable swordsman,” Sidon shrugged.  _

_ “You didn’t remember me when you brought me here.” _

_ “I’ve lived my life for over a century, Link, I see dopplegangers of Hylians all the time,” Sidon waved off. “But still. You answered my call when I asked you to come. Hero or not, it takes a special person to do so that willingly. Take my word for it.” _

_ Link glared up at Sidon, not really wanting to take his word for it. _

_ “You have every right to be anxious, my friend,” Sidon assured, “But we are going to win the day, no matter what happens.” _

_ “How can you be so sure?” _

_ “Simple!” Sidon grinned, raising his fist confidently as he laughed. _

 

Link raised his fist, mimicking Sidon like he had so many times, and with a smile, he spoke out loud and clear as day, “Because I believe in you.”

Nami’s eyes glittered in awe as she stared up at Link before smiling a little and then ducking her head down to wipe the tears away one more time. Then just for extra reassurance, Nami glanced up at Sidon who was caught staring at Link with a similar glittery expression.

“Well,” Sidon chuckled slightly, his smile warm and bright, “He took the words right out of my mouth.”

It seemed that that was all the encouragement Minami needed, for with a deep breath, she placed her hands back against the water and said, “Okay.”

“If it’s too much, Minami, you stop, okay?” Dorephan pleaded gently. “We can’t risk losing you because you push yourself too far.”

“Yes, Grandpa,” Nami said as she closed her eyes. 

“We’ll stop you if anything goes wrong,” Sidon assured, “It will be alright. We’re all here with you, just do the best you can.”

Nami hummed at that and took a few deep breaths, trying to focus. Like he had seen so many times before, Link watched as Nami’s hands glowed that faint green and glitter along the surface of the water. To say this wasn’t a farfetched last-ditch effort would have been a lie. But for whatever reason, in that moment, to say that Link had any shred of doubt would have also been a lie. What could he say? Sidon was rubbing off on him. 

Miraculously, Link’s confidence was proved true as the trio, plus all of the Zora present that day watched in amazement as from Nami’s power, the glitter in the water merely expanded and suddenly the entire reservoir and all the channels leading outwards had the faintest glow. With a brief flash, the murkiness began to fade leaving only crystal clear waters behind. There was cheering, Link was sure, as Zora dove eagerly into the water and began fetching their comrades, a new energy spiking with the new day.

But in that moment, Link found his attention drawing to his little girl as she collapsed from exhaustion suddenly. Sidon was completely undivided in attention, overcome with a panicked worry as he lifted her limp form into his arms, but with a small moan, Minami simply complained that she was tired before losing consciousness. Link was the first to sigh in relief and confidence that she was okay. 

“Are you sure!?” Sidon was near hysterics, “Link, she’s absolutely out cold what if I pushed her too far?! What if--”

“Sidon,” Link hushed, signing, “I’ll take her to the infirmary, you tend to your people.”

Sidon wore a strained expression but hesitantly relented and handed their daughter over to Link who sprung into action. Sure enough, as he rushed her back into a relatively unharmed Domain and brought her to the Healers, they were quick to see to her and determine that she was simply exhausted and needed to rest. With there being little he could do to help the Zora collect themselves and take stock of everyone, Link spent the remainder of the day holding Nami’s hand until she regained consciousness. 

 

* * *

 

The feat of Princess Minami the morning after the Blood Moon was a feat completely unheard of and, for lack of a better term, a complete miracle. With the power she had drawn on that morning, she had not only been able to purify the water, but unknowingly she also managed to heal and revive the Zora that had been pulled under the water and poisoned during the course of the nighttime battle. Though no one could be sure exactly what she did or how she did it - not even the princess herself - when all was said and done, despite the extensive casualties amongst the Zora people, there were no lives lost on that day. 

For that, the Zora called their victory. In their rejoicing there was much celebration and King Dorephan was never one to turn down a suggestion to commemorate the occasion. Besides, there were several, heavier matters he and his people would have to tend to in the coming years and if he could offer even the briefest of reprieves in the form of a party, he would gladly give that to his people for at least one day. 

It seemed that all of the Domain was celebrating in the palace that day, even into the evening. Those who didn’t attend were gratefully recovering in the infirmary, resting easy knowing that their world was safe once more. But there were two souls that felt particularly heavy with hearts in desperate need of being sorted out. 

Sidon, feeling heavy with exhaustion and injury, having been awake for the last two days straight and spent the last three or four hours being examined and treated, pulled himself out of his own hospital room and to his daughter’s. It was there where he found Link covered in his own bandages, arm in a cast and an ankle in a brace with a head wrapped tightly to protect a concussion, sitting beside Minami. 

“How is she?” Sidon asked, his voice hoarse at this point. 

“She was awake earlier,” Link’s voice danced freely through the air, and had Sidon not been more tired he would have been so completely overcome with happiness at the sound. “Your dad brought her some dinner and she was able to eat it just fine. The healers think she just needs to sleep it off and will be fine in the morning.”

“That’s good,” Sidon yawned, taking a seat beside Link. The Hylian in turn was very quick to lean against him. The action only made him sigh heavily, guilt encasing his being. “I can’t help but feel like this is somehow my fault.”

“What?” Link glanced up at Sidon in confusion.

“It’s just...that was no normal Blood Moon,” Sidon shrugged. “Those Yiga...were resurrected. As if something brought them back. Or...maybe someone opened a means for them to come back.”

“Their bodies were resurrected,” Link corrected, “Those things were just mindless zombies. Plus there were living Yiga among them. Someone probably just had some kind of artifact that could use whatever magic the Blood Moon draws up. We’ll figure out who was behind the attack and put an end to them before they can do it again, I promise.”

Sidon let out something akin to a wheeze.

“Whaaat?”

“But what if...it wasn’t planned? Like what if it was some kind of horrible side effect to...something else?”

“Sidon,” Link leaned forward, “What the hell are you getting at?”

Sidon was stoically silent for all of two minutes as he contemplated his next move before he gave up on tact and just blurted, “I may have accidentally awakened my sister’s spirit from the dead and unintentionally trapped her here until I could confess my feelings to you.”

Link blinked a few times as he struggled to process what had just come out of Sidon’s mouth before he said, “Right. That. We needed to talk about that didn’t we.”

Sidon could only cover his face, “I’m pathetic, I know.”

“You’re not the only one,” Link grumbled, “But why do you think that’s connected to what just happened?”

“Well, when it all started Vah Ruta had gone silent and was behaving strangely,” Sidon explained, “And when I went to see what was wrong, Mipha’s spirit had been horribly disturbed for a moment to the point that she thought I was the Waterblight and attacked me. And then it quickly spiraled out of control...it’s all too much of a coincidence, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, but the Reservoir was already poisoned when you got there,” Link noted, “And Mipha wasn’t acting strangely before that, was she?”

“No,” Sidon shook his head.

“Plus those two Yiga…” Link drifted off into thought, “They took something.”

“That is true,” Sidon mused, “Do we have any idea what?”

Link shook his head.

“Goddess Above, how could I have let this happen?” Sidon was moaning like a child as he covered his face again.

“Sidon,” Link hissed, taking the Zora’s hands in his, “This wasn’t your fault.”

“But how do we know!?”

“Because Mipha was affected by the blood moon  _ after _ the Yiga started whatever they were doing. Someone had planned this attack in advance. And--fuck, Sidon, if it was somehow tied to all this weird Divine Intervention bullshit that’s been going on then you’re not the only one who is at fault. If I had just...talked to you, then none of this would have happened. Well, the Yiga maybe I don’t know I just...my point is no one got hurt, you saved us all, Sidon. You helped Nami save us all. It’s okay.”

Sidon almost could have cried out in delight that Link was so tenderly cupping his cheek and so warmly gazing into his eyes in that moment, but at this point he was so tired he just wanted to cry. So instead, he sighed, “Thank you, Link.”

“Besides,” Link joked, “At least you didn’t get a Lynel on your tail.”

It took Sidon longer to process the statement than it should have, and Link was quick to try and brush the comment off by leaning in for a kiss, but Sidon quickly drew his head away and narrowed his gaze, “Yes, you might need to explain that one, what the  _ hell _ happened there and why did it take you six days to come back?”

“Ahhhh,” Link’s cheeks immediately turned bright red, “Counter offer: what if instead of talking about how a Universe Lynel named Lionel tried to grab me by the taint and tear me in half, we talk about our feelings? And just fix whatever is going on between us?”

“Why is its name Lionel!?”

“Sidon! Feelings! Please!” 

“Alright, alright, fine,” Sidon scoffed, “But either you stop speaking so vulgarly in front of our daughter or you start signing again.”

“She’s asleep!” 

“She can still hear you!”

“Oh my fucking goddess--”

“LINK!”

“Okay!” Link looked about ready to pull his hair out. He calmed down quickly though and crossed his arms, very adorably stating, “You go first.”

At that, Sidon found himself quivering like a Hatchling. Where was he even to start at this point? “I…”

Sidon tried to speak several times but words just...kept failing him. The longer he took to just say it, the more Link’s ears started drooping and the Hylian gave a sigh, looking almost sad as he offered, “Okay, I’ll go first.”

“Link, I’m sorry--”

“Sidon,” Link took a breath, “I love you. Plain and simple.”

“Well, I love you too--”

“I’m not done,” Link held a hand up, tried to get more words out but found his voice catching so he cleared his throat and used his hands to continue in place of his voice, “I’ve known that I was gay. For a really long time. And...when I woke up in the Shrine of Resurrection, I spent a long long time being confused. Not because I had lost my memories but because so many people were telling me I was this person that I just couldn’t believe to be true. Being the Hero was hard to swallow sure but...when you and your father both told me what Mipha felt for me. I was just...so...lost because I knew it was impossible for me to feel the same way. And before I remembered what had happened, I felt so unsure of myself and so afraid that I was living this big lie pretending to be someone I wasn’t. But you never gave up on me, you always believed in me. And you didn’t just believe in me because of who I used to be, you saw me for who I was in that moment and believed in that version too. And that meant so much, I wouldn’t have found myself if it weren’t for you, Sidon.”

“Well,” Sidon found himself ducking his head down, “I’m flattered, Link…”

“I mean, you should be,” Link teased, “You’re an amazing person, Sidon. It was hard for me to believe that someone like you would even think of being with someone like me and...I just didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to lose you as a friend. But then because you’re my best friend I felt like I at least owed it to you to tell you where I was at, get rejected, get over you, and move on and hopefully salvage our friendship. But then in Hateno...I mean were were hammered but I just loved being so close to you and...I dunno when I fell this hard for you dude, but I’ve got it bad and fuck I can’t even talk normally half the time how am I supposed to express feelings?”

When Sidon started crying, he wasn’t sure but he definitely noticed the hot tears in his eyes when he ducked his head in laughter, admitting, “Link, I was trying to court you when we went to Lake Hylia!”

Link’s expression drew a blank, “What?”

“It’s a--oh goodness I’m embarrassed to say,” Sidon was covering his face, crying and laughing at the same time.

Ever so gently, Link tugged on Sidon’s hand, trying to pull his hand away as he giggled, “Tell me.”

“I…” Sidon took a breath, “Zora courting traditions are um...very discreet and...well, the first step in a courtship is to offer a worthy fish to a potential partner, state a poetic phrase, receive a poetic phrase in response and it’s a...symbolic thing. So when you mistook the gesture as a dinner offering I...I didn’t know how to explain myself!”

As Sidon spoke, he progressively felt worse because the more he explained what courting traditions were for Zora, the paler and more distraught Link looked. 

“Sweet fucking Hylia I killed our love fish,” Link finally blurted after several minutes of silence. 

“Well,” Sidon ran his hand along his tail, “Yes.”

“Oh my--” Link covered his mouth, mortified, “Fuck Sidon, I am so sorry--”

“You didn’t know!” Sidon laughed, trying to gently assure the Hylian that it was alright, “And it’s not like I did much to explain myself either. I don’t know...I just...since the Calamity some social aspects of the Domain have gotten more...rigid. And I think I had mentioned before but it’s not like there are other openly gay Zora that I know of. And on top of that to fall in love with the man my sister so loved...I was afraid, Link. I was afraid of betraying Mipha, I was afraid of betraying your trust. I was afraid of being rejected by my own people--well, let’s just say I was afraid of rejection period…”

Sidon glanced away bashfully as his hand fell from awkwardly scratching at his tail to his lap, only to be caught by Link’s. The Hylian thoughtfully traced circles along his thumb and palm for a few moments, before he looked up and gave a small smile, “Can I confess something to you?”

“Anything,” Sidon said, equally pensive. 

“I’m not...really one for traditions,” Link admitted. “Like, if you wanna do the whole fish thing and midnight river excursions and sharing seashells and whatnot, that’s fine it’s just...I feel like I’m being put in a box sometimes with stuff like that. Especially since courtships are so...one sided and since you’re the one who knows what you’re doing you’re going to be the one giving me all these gifts and...it’s not like you’re supposed to talk about what you’re actually feeling it’s just these grand gestures but I wanna give you things too. And I wanna talk about what’s going on. Like we’re doing now, you know?”

Sidon hated admitting that hearing Link’s thoughts on the matter was a little more hurtful than he anticipated. That wasn’t to say his concerns weren’t valid, they absolutely were! It was just…

“Sidon?” Link asked anxiously.

“Oh! Sorry, Link,” Sidon looked down, “I apologize. And I understand. I...sorry...you are absolutely right I should have thought about those things. And I don’t want to put you in a box or make you feel like we can’t communicate it’s just...I spent all my life thinking I would be able to do these things for a person, give him the world and...it’ll be an adjustment but we don’t have to court if you aren’t comfortable--”

“We can still court,” Link gave Sidon’s hand a squeeze, “Maybe we just tweak it a little bit so I can reciprocate too.”

Sidon nodded at that, but still, the one thing that weight down on him the most left his voice feeling very small when he asked, “...can I still give you my sapphire?”

It took all of a split second for Sidon to realize how assumptive he was being before he jumped and pulled away, apologizing, “I mean! I apologize I just mean if things go well and we stay together and you would even wish to marry--we wouldn’t have to marry if that was too conventional I was simply asking if in the event if I could--”

“I am,” Link clapped his hands around Sidon’s cheeks to shut him up as he grinned, “So down. To get married. Eventually. And of course you can give away your sapphire. But only if you show me how to get one to give to you.”

Sidon gave a small smile, though this time it was because his face was being squished, “I’ll explain it to you but I’m not supposed to see it before we’re engaged.”

“I’ll recruit help then,” Link winked. 

“But no rush,” Sidon insisted, “I don’t want to push you into anything you are uncomfortable with. We don’t have to talk about this stuff if you aren’t ready to--”

“Sidon we have a daughter together and we rose your sister’s spirit from the dead over this I think we’re safe to talk to each other about what we want our future together to look like.”

Sidon couldn’t disagree with that, “Okay.”

Link smiled at that and finally released Sidon’s face before blushing again, nervously asking, “So...does this mean we’re dating?”

The largest smile spread across Sidon’s lips as he brushed some hair behind Link’s ear and whispered, “Only if I can kiss you again.”

The soft little “please” that slipped off of Link’s tongue barely escaped as the Hylian drew close and joined their lips together. They kissed deeply, passionately, both men moaning into each other as they held the other close. Their seven seconds in heaven, however, were short lived for the time being when they heard the tiniest little noise come from the Zora laying beside them. 

Sidon and Link quickly jumped and tore away from each other to find Nami’s eyes open up and glance at them, mumbling incoherently. Sidon was quick to take his daughter’s hand, gently tracing the bridge of her snout with the tip of his claw and ask, “What did you say, my Darling?”

Nami gave a cheeky grin despite how miserable she was feeling and croaked, “Two daaaaaaaads.” 

Link was the first to spit out his laughter as he ducked his head down snickering. Sidon followed shortly after and he shook his head, carefully lifting Nami into his arms so she could curl up against his chest and go back to sleep. “Yes, dear, two dads.”

“Does this mean I can call Link my papa now…?” she mumbled, barely even half-awake as a small hand reached outward for her Hylian father. 

Link took hold of it, looking about ready to burst into tears at the question as he kissed her hand and whispered, “Absolutely.”

“Kay, cool,” Nami turned towards Sidon, a soft trill escaping her as she began purring, “I can’t wait...till Tumbo hears that my dads made out in my hospital room….”

Sidon wanted to be mortified but Link’s snorts and giggles were too much to leave him concerned as he watched his daughter drift back into sleep so all he could do was smile at Link and shrug. And they stayed like that for most of the evening, a new couple holding hands and just talking, sharing stories and feelings, finally opening their hearts up to each other in a way they had longed for; two soulmates finally came together as one. And when they couldn’t talk anymore, Link and Sidon curled up together, holding their child close. Though there was much to be done, and much uncertainty lying in the air in light of recent events, for the first time, this young budding family could finally rejoice and sleep soundly knowing that they were made whole by the love that bound them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What? Hopeless nerds are finally talking about their feelings!? Weird.

**Author's Note:**

> To those of you who have read the other two fics I've written for this pairing...Teeth probably happens somewhere in the middle of this timeline and you guys may recognize a character in this first chapter that pops up in Bed Time ;) GET HYPE FAM


End file.
